Alternate Princess: Sequel to Always
by tortallanrider
Summary: Jon and Alanna's daughter Eliena's adventures. Expect to see Numair, Daine, and other familiar characters. R&R, rated for possibility, slightly AU, Immortals spoilers. COMPLETE. THIRD UP.
1. Chapter 1

Alternate Princess

**Chapter 1**

"Father, no!" ten-year-old Princess Eliena of Conté cried. "I don't want to go to the _convent_."

"Oh, Jonathan," Eliena's mother, Queen Alanna of Olau and Conté, said. "She can't go to the convent. She's going to be a page." Eliena made a face.

"I don't _want_ to be a page," she replied. "I want to work for the Riders."

"You're too young," King Jonathan IV of Conté told his oldest daughter.

"Thayet promised she'd teach me. She said that by the time I'm thirteen I could help. _Not_ be a trainee," Eliena said. "_Please_, father? _Please_? I'll be good for Uncle Thom in my magic lessons, I _promise_. And I'll be good for Thayet, Sarge, and Buri. _Please_." She widened her violet eyes and stuck out her lower lip in a pout. Jonathan gave his wife a withering look.

"We've allowed our friends to spoil her, Alanna. _You've_ spoiled her," he remarked. Alanna looked offended.

"_I've_ spoiled her, Jonathan?" she asked incredulously. "I believe _you_ have been spoiling her."

"I am _not_ spoiled," Eliena injected stubbornly. She turned the violet eyes she had inherited from her mother onto her father. "Please, father? I promise I'll behave." Jonathan sighed.

"All right. But I want _model behavior_ at the state functions," Jonathan said. Eliena squeaked and threw her arms around him.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she enthused.

"Remember, Eliena. _Model behavior_," Alanna said. Eliena looked at her mother.

"As if you should be talking! I see you yawning at the banquets, mother!" Eliena revealed. Alanna gasped and Jonathan laughed. "Besides, state functions are boring." She held up crossed fingers. "And I crossed my fingers when I promised, so I don't have to!"

"If you want to be an assistant, you will," Alanna said. Eliena frowned.

"_Fine_." She turned on the heel of her riding boot and marched out of her parents' room. Once the door was closed, Jonathan and Alanna heard the young heiress tear down the hall screaming, "I'm going to help the Riders! Thayet! Come here!" Jonathan focused laughing blue eyes on Alanna.

"She gets it from you," he told her. Alanna glared at him and called him a rude name. Jonathan laughed again. "Don't let Eliena pick that up, Lioness. Or we'll have a _real_ problem!"

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Three years later, Eliena was thirteen. She had been learning the ways of the Queen's Riders from their commander, Lady Thayet of Goldenlake, formerly Thayet _jian_ Wilima. Eliena had also been learning how to use her powerful Gift from her Uncle Thom, Alanna's twin brother and a Master mage. Whenever Thom couldn't teach her, Eliena was sent to Master Numair Salmalín, née Arram Draper, for lessons. Eliena liked learning about her magic. She was a skilled girl, and picked up lessons quickly, allowing her to learn faster than many others.

At thirteen, she was the youngest assistant to the Riders. She had learned all she needed to know from Thayet and her co-commanders, Sarge, Onua, and Buri. Even though Eliena was the heir, she was allowed to go on all sorts of adventures because of her talent. She could wield a sword as well as many of the pages her age- better even! She knew basic war magic, illusion magic, and countless powerful spells that even some older than she had trouble with. Along with that, because of the strengths of her parents Gifts, Eliena had a strong reserve of power to tap. While many mages had to tap their life force after a while (Numair, Alanna, Jonathan, and Thom excluded), Eliena had a large supply she almost never used.

This particular adventure was to meet Onua, Numair, a company of the Own, and Onua's new assistant at the Tortallan border. Thayet had sent Eliena in place of the other commanders, because the new assistant was her age. Also, Eliena knew Sir Raoul of Goldenlake, Thayet's husband and the Knight Commander of the King's Own. Raoul knew that Eliena's Rider group (the Second) was strong enough to safely take Numair, Onua, and the new assistant to Corus. Numair was weak, and Eliena had enough skill as a mage to help him. She could also heal him a bit, which was what he _really_ needed.

Finally, Eliena caught sight of them. She kicked her black warhorse (her parents wanted her on a warhorse instead of a pony) that she had named Abyss into a gallop.

"Princess Eliena!" her "keeper", Sergeant Tucker, called. "Wait!" Abyss stopped and Eliena whirled around.

"Sergeant Tucker, since when do I wait for _anyone_?" she wanted to know. Abyss spun again and Eliena continued galloping toward her friends. Her horse stopped right in front of a girl who looked to be about Eliena's age. She had smoky brown curls and blue-gray eyes. Eliena felt itchy just _looking_ at the girl's dress. She dismounted easily. Onua and Numair hugged her.

"Eliena! I didn't know _you_ were coming!" Numair said.

"Yes, Thayet decided to send us at the last minute," she replied. "Now, where's this new assistant of yours, Onua?"

"Right here," Onua replied. She put a hand on the curly-haired girl's shoulder and guided her to the princess.

"Veralidaine Sarrasri, this is her royal highness Princess Eliena of Conté. Eliena, this is Veralidaine Sarrasri," Onua introduced. Daine curtsied.

"Please, don't curtsy. I'm in breeches and I look like such a fool when I bow," Eliena said. She extended a hand. "My friends all call me Eli for short. And I think we'll become friends, seeing as I'm also helping the Riders." The girl shook Eliena's hand. "If we're to be friends, I would like to know what I should call you."

"Excuse me, your- Eliena. My friends call me Daine," the girl replied. Eliena smiled.

"Excellent. Now, if you will excuse me. I have to find Sir Raoul…" her voice drifted off as she searched for the big knight. "Where _is_ he?"

"Right here!" a voice said. Eliena stood on tiptoe and the big knight came out of the bushes. He rode over to Eliena and scooped her up. He placed her in front of him and gave her a huge hug.

"Raoul, you're crushing me," Eliena squeaked. He let her go with an apologetic smile. "Now, are you going to go get that Sinthya or not?" Raoul grinned and put Eliena down.

"How did you know about that?" he asked, and then held up a large hand. "Oh, wait. Never mind. I always forget who you are, Eli." Eliena smiled at him.

"Goddess bless you," she called as the Own rode off. She turned back to her friends. "Now, Numair. I've been told I have some healing to do." She sighed. "How the mage changed you back into a man from a hawk and didn't heal you I'll never know." She looked at Daine. "Daine, d'you want a pair of breeches? You look awfully itchy." She shuddered. "Goddess knows how much I loathe dresses." Daine smiled gratefully.

"Thank you. I would," she replied. Eliena nodded.

"Good. Sergeant Tucker, you no good keeper, where are you?" Eliena yelled. Onua and Numair exchanged a look as they saw Daine's shock.

"Her mother has a terribly sharp tongue," Onua explained quietly. "Eliena's picked it up over the years. Her language sometimes makes the soldiers blush. But she, like her mother, is really not a terrible person. She can just get that way sometimes. Trust me, Daine, you'll forget she's a princess."

"I know you're talking about me, Onua, so why don't you just say it out loud?" Eliena called as Sergeant Tucker handed her breeches, a shirt, and a tunic. Eliena handed them to Daine. "You look about my size. These should fit. Say, how old are you?"

"Thirteen," Daine replied.

"Same with me," Eliena replied. "D'you _really_ have wild magic?" Daine gave her a puzzled look. "I thought they told you… Numair!" Numair came over. "How do _I_ know about Daine's wild magic before she does?" Numair pulled Eliena aside.

"We didn't want to tell her until Thom had checked," Numair whispered. Eliena looked at him and put her hands on her hips.

"Well you could have told _me_ that!" she huffed. "Anyway. We should get moving. I want to make it to Goldenlake by nightfall. _Is that too much to ask_?" The men who had ridden with her straightened up and the women smiled.

"No, your highness!" Eliena smiled.

"Very good. Let's _move_!"

_**Author's Note- **Eliena is a little different character than I normally write. It's refreshing. REVIEW, please._


	2. Chapter 2

_**Quick dedication: **all chapters with Numair are dedicated to Pink Squishy Llama, my Numy-loving reviewer. _

**Chapter 2**

It took three days to reach Corus. Eliena and Daine rode side by side, talking. Daine told Eliena about Snowsdale, and animals. Eliena told Daine about life in the Tortallan Court. They laughed together and Eliena even offered to show Daine a thing or two about the fighting she had learned.

The minute the group walked into the palace, Daine noticed a change in her new friend. Eliena went from a normal teenager to the heiress in a moment. She stood up straighter, and adjusted her clothes so they looked perfect. She pulled her black hair from its low horsetail and shook it out. The inky waves fell halfway down her back. Eliena's violet eyes filled with strength, and the wicked glimmer Daine had seen in them disappeared. It amazed her how the girl could change so quickly. A man hurried over to her and bowed.

"Your highness, I have instructions to send you, Master Salmalín, Demoiselle Veralidaine, and Mistress Onua to their majesties upon your arrival," he told Eliena. Eliena nodded.

"Thank you, Francis. If you will follow me, please." Daine, Numair, and Onua followed Eliena, staying a respectful distance behind the princess. They reached a set of doors and Eliena opened them without knocking.

"Eliena!" Daine couldn't see the speaker, but his voice was enough to send her heart cartwheeling. His voice was deep and rich, but clear.

"Was everything all right?" a woman's voice asked. This voice was a low alto.

"Everything was fine, mother. There was no trouble," Eliena replied.

"Numair, is she telling the truth?" the man asked. Numair nodded.

"Yes," he replied.

"Daine, come here," Eliena instructed. Daine walked past Onua and Numair. She stood beside Eliena and got a full view of the voices. The man was heart-meltingly handsome. His close-cropped beard and hair were the same inky black as Eliena's and his eyes were a brilliant sapphire. The woman had copper hair falling to her shoulders and Eliena's violet eyes. There was no mistaking it: these were Eliena's parents, the king and queen. Daine curtsied.

"Your majesties," she said.

"Mother, father, this is Veralidaine Sarrasri. Daine, these are my parents, King Jonathan IV of Conté and Queen Alanna of Olau and Conté, the Lioness," Eliena introduced. The twinkle returned to her eyes. "But you guessed that already." She smiled and Daine saw that Eliena looked a lot like her father. They had the same straight, slightly hooked nose and stubborn chin. But the twinkle in Eliena's eyes and her figure were all the queen's.

"Welcome to Tortall, Daine," Alanna said. "From what Numair has told me, we're honored to have you. Eli, sweet, can you call Thom, please?" Eliena smiled and a violet orb appeared in her hand. A man who looked a lot like Eliena's mother appeared.

"What, Eli?" he asked. "I'm in the middle of something."

"Uncle Thom, your presence is requested in the study," Eliena replied sweetly. "That means _now_."

"Fine. Tell my sister I'll be there in a moment," the man sighed. The orb disappeared and moments later, the man walked into the room. "For once, Alanna, can't you send someone to get me like any normal person?" Alanna grinned at the man, who was obviously her twin.

"But, Thom," Alanna said, "then what would be the fun in having a daughter who can call you?" Thom sighed and focused his violet eyes on Daine.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"Uncle Thom, meet Veralidaine Sarrasri. Daine, this is my Uncle Thom, the youngest living Master," Eliena replied proudly. "Uncle Thom, Daine's the one Numair thinks has wild magic."

"Numair, did you _really_ need my help for this? You're the expert," Thom remarked.

"I need you to be sure, Thom. I don't want to teach something that isn't there," Numair replied.

"You just want to get back to your _experiment_," Eliena told her uncle, who glared at her. He put a hand on Daine's shoulder. She felt tingly all over. Finally, Thom removed his hand.

"Its wild magic, all right," Thom decreed. He looked at his sister. "May I take my leave now, your majesty?"

"Go, Thom," Jonathan said before Alanna could answer. Thom bowed and left the room. Jonathan turned to his daughter. "Eli, there's someone here to see you." The doors opened again and a brown haired boy with hazel eyes walked in. Eliena grinned and hugged the boy. "Leo!" Eliena dragged the boy over to Daine.

"Daine, this is Leonard of Pirate's Swoop, one of my best friends. Leo, this is Veralidaine Sarrasri," Eliena introduced. "Leonard is a page. He's going to be father's squire." Eliena glanced meaningfully at her father, revealing that she hadn't yet convinced her father of this fact. "He's also my… adopted step-cousin. Mother's adopted father married Leo's father's mother."

"She doesn't need to know _everything_, Eliena!" Jonathan laughed. "You sound ten again!" Eliena made a face.

"I _hate_ it when you call me little," she said.

"I don't believe he called you 'little', El. He called you _ten_," Leo corrected. Eliena stuck her tongue out at the boy.

"I didn't _ask_ you, Leo. Anyway. Go back to your page duties." Eliena waved a dismissive hand. "I have some showing around to do. I'm sure you're missed."

"Missed you too, El," Leo called on his way out. Eliena bobbed a curtsy to her parents.

"I'm going now. Bye!" She dragged Daine out. Once they were a safe distance away, Eliena sighed. "Whew. I _hate_ talking with them in front of people."

"Why?" Daine asked, still trying to recover from Eliena's rapid personality changes.

"Because," Eliena replied, "I always feel so… formal. I hate being a princess." Daine noted that the Eliena she'd met was back. "Leo says I change into a princess sometimes. I think he's right." _I think so too_, Daine thought. "Anyhow. Let's go. I want to show you the _whole_ castle before dinner. I hope the university students will join us tonight! Some of them are _very_ handsome!" Eliena took Daine's hand and dragged her away. _She's certainly high-spirited_, Daine thought. _Maybe it's just being home again. Hopefully she'll settle down, because she's wearing me out!_

_**Author's Note- **Eliena WILL calm down. I'm making her hyper at the moment, cause I am. So… REVIEW. _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

"Eliena!" several groups of people shouted. Eliena smiled and waved diplomatically, but was headed straight for an empty table. "Eliena! Eliena!"

"This is why I hate eating in here," Eliena grumbled to Daine. "Usually, I eat with my family. But I want to get you settled." Daine smiled at Eliena.

"Thanks," she said. They put their trays down at an empty table, and people rushed over.

"Eliena, how are you?" one boy asked. His hair was silvery blonde and his eyes were muddy brown.

"I'm fine, Thurley," Eliena replied, a fake smile pasted on her lips.

"You look lovely," he complimented. Eliena and Daine looked at Eliena's outfit. She wore a nice pair of tan breeches that were obviously new, a white shirt, and a brown tunic with the Riders symbol in the corner.

"Thanks…" Eliena said.

"Move, Thurley!" a voice exclaimed, shoving the boy away. Another boy sat across from Eliena and batted his long, girlish eyelashes at her. "Hullo, Eli." Eliena laughed.

"Hello, Tyler," Eliena greeted. "Still a flirt, I see." The boy called Tyler leaned across the table and kissed Eliena's cheek. She smiled at him. "I could have you imprisoned for that, impertinent commoner." Her eyes danced. She obviously enjoyed the flirtation.

"But you won't," he retorted. "Because you _love_ me." Eliena rolled her eyes.

"You're right, Mason," Eliena said. "I simply _adore_ you." She glanced over at a table that held a group of boys her age. One of them had emerald green eyes as wicked as Eliena's own. He had a widow's peak, and his light brown hair was swept away from that. He winked at Eliena, who tossed her gorgeous hair in reply, turning her focus back to Tyler, who Daine now guessed was name Tyler Mason. "Leave my sight, commoner." Eliena was only half kidding. Tyler rose and winked at Eliena.

"All right, your highness," he said and walked away with a swagger. Eliena rolled her eyes.

"He was… interesting," Daine ventured.

"Thurley isn't so bad, just kind of clingy. Tyler, on the other hand." Eliena shuddered. "He's very forward. You know, when he first came, he kissed my hand and said I made him want to be a noble?"

"You wouldn't marry a commoner?" Daine asked. Eliena looked at her.

"Of _course_ I'd marry a commoner!" Eliena replied. "If I loved the man, why would status matter?" Daine shook her head. This was a _very_ strange place. "Anyway… oh, hello there." Daine looked up and saw the green-eyed boy standing over their table.

"Your highness, I simply _must_ introduce myself," he said with a dramatic bow. "I am Nealan of Queenscove, student at the royal university." Eliena smiled and rose. Despite her breeches, she still managed a perfect curtsy.

"Pleased to meet you, Nealan of Queenscove. I am Princess Eliena of Conté, and this is my friend, Veralidaine Sarrasri. Would you like to join us?" Eliena asked.

"It would be my pleasure, your highness," Nealan replied, taking the seat across from Eliena.

"Please," Eliena said. "My friends all call me Eliena, or, preferably, Eli. 'Your highness' is too vague for me. I have younger siblings, you know."

"Prince Roald and Princess Lianne are ten, correct?" Nealan asked. Eli nodded.

"You know my family well, Nealan," she replied. "Though, coming from Queenscove, I shouldn't be surprised. I know your father well." Nealan smiled.

"I've heard," he remarked. "Father often tells me that the Lioness's daughter shares her temper. And her tongue."

"Father had tried to break me of it, I admit. But, you know my mother." Eliena shrugged. "Anyway, Nealan, I believe we are neglecting Daine." Nealan focused his green eyes on Daine, who didn't meet his gaze.

"Please, your highness," Nealan said, and Daine felt his gaze turn back to the princess. "My friends call me Neal." Eliena smiled.

"Neal," she repeated. "Would you care to take a walk with me, Neal?" Neal rose and took Eliena's hand.

"I would be honored, Eli," he replied. Eliena bent down and whispered to Daine, "Two of my Rider friends are coming to sit with you. They're very nice. I'll talk to you later." Eliena and Neal went to the courtyard, where they could stroll in peace.

"I haven't seen you often," Neal remarked. Eliena nodded.

"I can't stand all the fawning, so I usually eat with my family. Well, Roald and Lianne are in the City of the Gods, so usually it is just my parents and myself, but they're better company than many of the trainees," she explained. "I don't see you often, either. But I suppose you're stuck in the university with your books." Neal nodded.

"I get tied up in books sometimes. It is one of my faults," he replied. Eliena acted shocked.

"_You_, Nealan of Queenscove? _You_ have faults?" she asked. "I am shocked, I truly am. Here I was, thinking I was walking with someone flawless!" Neal smiled.

"One of my biggest faults is indecisiveness. I want to be a page now, but father refuses," he replied with a sigh.

"You should do what you want. Besides, if he wants you to learn magic, I can always teach you. I'm taught by my uncle, Master Thom of Trebond, and Numair Salmalín. I know a lot, and I'm sure they'd be willing teachers to someone who wants to learn. Besides, pages see the royal family more often than mage students." Neal looked at Eliena. Her violet eyes danced wickedly and her smile was just as wicked.

"You, Eliena, are wicked," Neal told her.

"And you aren't?" Eliena retorted. He smiled.

"I'm going to have to- you're glowing." Eliena glanced at the bracelet her mother had given her. It glowed when she was being contacted, when there were immortals about, and when there was danger. Eliena sighed and a violet ball appeared in her hand.

"Yes?" she asked. It was Numair.

"Your parents are worried. Where are you?" he wanted to know.

"In the courtyards with Nealan of Queenscove," Eliena replied. Numair relayed this information to Eliena's parents. She heard shouting. Numair turned back to their conversation.

"Your mother says to get your rear end to the royal dining hall _right now_, and to let the poor boy finish his meal," Numair told her. Eliena rolled her eyes.

"Give me ten minutes." The ball vanished. "If it glows again, tell me what color. Now, where were we?"

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"Eliena of Conté, you are in a _lot_ of trouble!" Alanna yelled. "How could you just disappear like that?"

"But I _didn't_ 'just disappear', mother. Daine knew where I was," Eliena insisted. "Besides, Neal and I were having a nice talk."

"_Were_ you?" Alanna asked. "Goddess bless. Is this what we've come to, Eliena? You desert your parents for a boy?" She swore.

"Mother, _please_. I did not _desert_ you. I was walking with Neal when Numair summoned me. How was I to know you wanted me before that? I don't read minds, you know." Eliena's hands were firmly placed on her hips. Jonathan put his hand on Alanna's shoulder.

"What your mother is _trying_ to say, Eli, is that you can't just run off like that without running it by someone first. We needed to talk to you. And, while it is not urgent, it would've been nice if we didn't have to wait for you to finish your conversation. Now, who was this boy?" Eliena smiled dreamily.

"Nealan of Queenscove. Oh, _father_," Eliena sighed. "He's so _perfect_." Jonathan smiled.

"It looks like someone has a crush," he teased.

"Ah, to be young and in love," Alanna sighed. She looked at Jonathan, who put his arm around her.

"_Please_, you two! When mother was thirteen, _you_ still thought she was a boy!" Eliena said. "Neal knows I'm a girl. And I _think_ he likes me…" She covered her mouth and glared at her smiling parents. "Leave me alone! Mithros, sometimes I wonder if I should move in with Numair!" She stormed from the room and Alanna smiled.

"She couldn't bear to leave us. She loves us too much," she said.

"I think she'd gladly live with Numair, though," Jonathan replied. "He'd let her get away with murder when she bats those violet eyes of hers. Are you worried about her and the Queenscove boy?" Alanna shook her head.

"Neal is a good boy. He's no older than Eliena. They're fine."

_**Author's Note- **before I get chastised about Neal and the university and all that, let me say this: AU. I wanted Neal and Eliena to know each other- wink, wink- and I wanted them to meet in the mess hall. Next chappie will PROBABLY be at the Swoop. And Leo may make an appearance. REVIEW._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Look!" Leo exclaimed. "Home!" Eliena's sharp eyes caught him about to urge his mount into a gallop. She grabbed his reins. He glared at her. "What, Eli?"

"You stay with the group," she instructed. For a moment, Eliena thought Leo was going to tear off anyway, but he sighed.

"_Fine_," he sighed. "Your _highness_." Eliena dropped her hold and glared at Leo.

"Excuse me for following _orders_," she snapped. Leo looked at her.

"Aw, Eli. Don't be like that," he said. "I'm sorry, Eli. I really am."

"Don't use my title against me, Leo. Because I'll turn around and show you what it can _really_ do." Leo wondered what she meant by that as she trotted to catch up with Thayet.

"Eliena!" Eliena glanced in the direction of the voice. Tyler was waving at her. She waved back and kept going. "Come here!" She sighed. Now she _had_ to be polite. She maneuvered Abyss over to him.

"What, Tyler? I have to go ride with Lady Thayet." While she didn't use the title when around Thayet, she used it when speaking to others. It was only fair. Tyler looked hurt.

"You don't want to ride with me?" he asked, batting his eyelashes. Eliena smiled at him.

"You know I really would, Tyler, but I can't," she replied. "Now, if you will excuse me." She trotted to the front where Thayet was.

"Tyler Mason?" Thayet guessed. Eliena nodded and made a face.

"He annoys me," she replied.

"You could always ignore him. He _is_ beneath you," Thayet remarked. Eliena's eyes flashed.

"Great Mithros, why is everyone talking about my _royalty_?" she asked. "First Leo calls me your highness like he was talking about Stormwings, and now you're telling me I can not talk to Tyler because I'm the _princess_. Why does it matter so gods-cursed much that I'm the heiress?"

Thayet smiled sympathetically. "You don't need to tell _me_ that, Eli. I was a princess too, remember." Eliena nodded.

"That's true. But you weren't allowed to inherit anything," she reminded her. Thayet nodded.

"But everyone thought I shouldn't do anything because I would hurt myself. You're lucky your mother is Alanna, Eliena. She can talk Jonathan around to a lot. If Jonathan had married anyone else, you would be at the convent right now." Eliena shuddered and Thayet laughed. "Exactly."

"I suppose you're right," Eliena sighed. "But I still wish I weren't royal. Sometimes I just want to be _Eliena_." Thayet smiled.

"You know, your mother told me the same thing not three days ago. She was the Lioness, and she gave that up to be the queen," Thayet told the girl. Eliena nodded.

"But father promised that she'll get to fight again someday," Eliena replied. "He said if we ever go to war, she's the commander."

"But when wartime comes around, will he remember?" Thayet asked. "War isn't anything glamorous, Eli. Raoul, Gary, Myles, and your parents will tell you that. When wartime comes, Alanna will be called upon to act as queen. And if the queen is on the battlefield, Tortall is in a lot of trouble."

"She'll fight," Eliena assured Thayet. "Mother will be sure of it." Thayet laughed.

"I've no doubt she will. And be assured she won't remind him gently!" They were riding into the main courtyard of Pirate's Swoop Fortress. Two people stood in the main doorway. One was a tall, lanky man who looked like an older Leo, with a larger nose. The other was a curvy woman with red-brown hair. Her eyes were a lovely golden-brown color.

"Well if it isn't her royal highness Princess Eliena of Conté herself!" the woman remarked. Eliena dismounted and went to them. The woman hugged Eliena.

"Hello, Uncle George. Hello, Aunt Rose," Eliena greeted. She hugged the man. "I missed you!"

"Where's our son?" the man, Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop, asked. "I thought he was coming."

"Well, thanks!" Eliena laughed. "He's coming. He's father back, though. You know, being a page and all. We need him to defend us." Rose and George laughed, knowing that Eliena was probably more skilled with knight weapons than their son at that point.

"Eliena, aren't you going to introduce your new friend?" Thayet called. Eliena blushed.

"Oops." She beckoned to Daine. Daine came over. "Daine, this is Baroness Rose Cooper of Pirate's Swoop and Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop. These are Leo's parents. Aunt Rose, Uncle George, this is Veralidaine Sarrasri. She had wild magic." Daine curtsied.

"No need to curtsy, demoiselle," Rose told the girl. "We're all informal here. George and I are both common born and bred."

"From your name, so are you," George remarked. Daine blushed slightly and nodded. Eliena gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Not long before, Daine had told Eliena about her last name: Sarrasri, and how her mother had been killed by bandits.

"They won't judge you, Daine," Eliena assured her friend. "We're not like that here. Can I tell her, Uncle George?" George nodded. "Uncle George is the former King of Thieves. Some of his…men are former thieves." George smiled, knowing that Eliena was well aware that George's spy work was supposed to be a secret.

"Where is Leo?" Rose muttered. Eliena turned and cupped her mouth to amplify her voice.

"_Leonard of Pirate's Swoop! Aren't you going to greet your parents?_" she yelled. Moments later, Leo was charging into his father's arms. "Thank you." Eliena tilted her head toward the door to indicate she wanted to go in. "C'mon, Daine. I have normal rooms here. Can she have the room next door?" Rose nodded.

"Of course," Rose replied. "I wouldn't have it any other way." As they walked into the house, Eliena explained:

"Leo and I are very close. And our parents are close, too. Since I was little, my mother has brought me to the Swoop for a month in the summer. I have rooms that they keep all ready for me so I can come any time I want. Sometimes being a princess is too much, and I come down here. Oh, gods, that sounded wrong, didn't it? I'm sorry, Daine. I hate it when I sound like a princess." They reached the rooms. Eliena opened one door, revealing a plain room that looked like any other room in the Tortallan palace. "This is your room." She walked to another door and opened it. It was a connecting door to another room that looked like Eliena's room at the palace. "And this is mine. "My keeper usually stays in this room. But there's _another _connecting room that my keeper can stay in this time." Daine laughed. She loved the way Eliena described her guards as her keepers. On this trip, though, Numair was her official keeper. Daine couldn't help but wonder if Numair would sleep in the connecting room, being a man. Daine figured he might, since he was going to be teaching both Eliena and Daine on this trip.

"Can we go to the water?" Daine asked. "I've never seen an ocean before." Eliena laughed.

"Of course, Daine. I forgot. Come," she replied. A violet ball appeared in her hand. "Numair, Daine and I are going to the water. I'll keep her safe, don't worry."

"You had better, Eliena," Numair said, faux-sternly. Eliena stuck her tongue out and the ball vanished.

"Come on, Daine. I'll bet there are do- oh! Let's get Miri and Evin!" Miri and Evin were two of their Rider trainee friends. George had recommended Evin to the Riders. Evin's family were Players, and he had all sorts of useless talents.

"But we should- Eliena?" Eliena was disappearing, a violet aura around her.

"I'll be right back, Daine. Promise." Eliena vanished, and moments later she reappeared. "They'll meet us there."

"What _was_ that?" Daine asked. "You just… vanished!" Eliena smiled.

"You've never seen me do that before? Uncle Thom taught me. I can use my Gift to transport me over small distances. I could go from here to Corus like that," Eliena replied.

"Why didn't you do that, then?" Daine wanted to know.

"I'd rather ride, but its handy to do something quick," Eliena explained. "Besides, it saves useless running time. Sometimes I do that if I don't want to wait for a servant." Daine shook her head. It was very strange. "Come _on_!" Daine noticed that Eliena was halfway down the hall. "Are you coming or not?"

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Uncle George…" Eliena tugged on George's tunic to get his attention. George looked up from his papers.

"Yes, Eli?" he asked.

"There's something strange going on." Eliena rubbed her goose bumped arms. "Something _magic_ strange. I can feel it in my Gift. It makes me shiver." George looked at his shivering niece and shuddered. Eliena's Gift was powerful, and if she felt something….

"Can you call Numair? I want him to see you," George said. Eliena nodded and held up her hand. Numair's face appeared in the violet ball.

"Can you come to George's study?" Eliena asked.

"One moment." Soon after, Numair was walking in. "Eliena? What's wrong?" She was sitting in a chair, rubbing her arms to keep warm. Numair grabbed a pillow. "Do you need this, George?" George shook his head and Numair promptly turned it into a cloak. He wrapped it around Eliena. "What's wrong?"

"There's some strange magic," Eliena explained. "And I don't like it."

"I wonder why… Goddess." Numair was looking out the window. _Two miles out a fog bank lay on the ocean, its top as high as the _tallest tower at the Swoop. _It took _Eliena _a minute of looking before she saw what was wrong: the curved dome was clean, as if the thing were shaped by a sculptor. It was also dead on the water. Fog was neither tidy nor slow. It moved fast and overwhelmed everything in its way. This close, _they_ shouldn't not have been able to see the sky, and she ought to have seen it move by now. _**(WILD MAGIC, pg. 288-289, italics direct quotes) **

"That's not right," Eliena remarked.

"Magic," George murmured. "Its magic." Numair nodded.

"I'm not affected, but Eliena isn't as old as I am, nor as experienced," Numair said. Eliena nodded, rubbing her arms.

"George…" Thayet stood in the doorway, Daine beside her. "Daine has some news…"

"We're surrounded," Daine said. "I was talking to the owls, and they said there are people all around." She held out a paper. "They mapped it for me." George took it and whistled.

"They must be waiting for dawn," he remarked. "Waiting for the fog." Daine looked and saw the fog. She knew without anyone saying that there was something _very_ wrong. George looked at Eliena. "Eliena, your parents _have_ to know."

"But how?" she asked. "Any messenger that tries to get through the camps will be killed!" George was silent.

"Wait, Eliena," Daine replied. "When you went to get Miri and Evin before, didn't you say you could get from here to Corus the same way?" Eliena nodded slowly. "So why don't _you_ tell them?"

"What is she talking about, Eliena?" Numair asked.

"Uncle Thom taught me how to magically transport myself. He said if there were ever danger, I could get from the palace to Legann that way," Eliena replied softly. "And we're closer than Legann."

"But is it _safe_?" George asked. "If anything happened to you, Eliena, your mother would have my head."

"Perfectly," Numair replied. "As long as she knows how to work it." Eliena nodded. "It shouldn't be too hard. The sooner she alerts them, the sooner we can get reinforcements here. The Riders alone won't be enough, even with your guard."

"But we might need her skills," Thayet protested. "Eliena can use a sword almost as well as her mother!"

"If I go now, I'll be back soon," Eliena said. "It doesn't take too long."

"They'll want more information. They'll hold a long meeting in the war chamber…" George remarked.

"No, they won't," Eliena disagreed. "My parents are no fools, Uncle George. They'll send a company of the Own right out."

"Raoul," Thayet whispered. "They'll send Raoul's company." Eliena shrugged.

"If he's closest," she replied. She turned to George. "I _have_ to go Uncle George. Otherwise we'll be in more danger than it's worth."

"I'm a fair shot with a bow," Daine put in. "I can do that if need be."

"And we have Numair's magic," Thayet added.

"We can avoid attack, George," Numair said. "We _have_ to." George sighed.

"All right. Go, Eliena. Go now and hurry." Eliena nodded and vanished.

_**Author's Note- **REVIEW. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Eliena?" Jonathan asked as his daughter materialized in the study. "What's wrong?"

"The Swoop is surrounded," Eliena replied.

"What?" Alanna demanded, getting up from her chair. "What do you mean 'surrounded'?"

"Just what I said! The Swoop is surrounded completely by warriors. And there's a magical fog moving in. I was shivering, it made me so cold," Eliena replied. Alanna swore.

"The Carthakis," she muttered. "It has to be."

"Alanna, don't jump to conclusions," Jonathan reprimanded.

"Jonathan, they're the only ones with a navy good enough to move in soundlessly! And with the mages to supply that fog!" Alanna exploded. She turned to Eliena. "Do you have enough warriors?"

"That's why I'm here!" Eliena exclaimed. "If we could've handled it, I wouldn't _be_ here! They outnumber us by a lot. Even _with_ the Riders added to Uncle George's guard, we don't have near enough."

"I'm going," Alanna announced.

"No, you're not. You're not going anywhere, Alanna," Jonathan replied.

"You told me I could go fight! This is when I want to go," Alanna reminded him.

"I said you could command the army. This is not a _war_ Alanna. Unless they fly Carthaki flags, they are not official," Jonathan said. "_If_ they're even Carthaki. And, seeing as it is dark, I don't think they can see flags, if there are any."

"Whatever we do, can we make it fast, please? They're waiting for me," Eliena remarked. "Uncle George, Thayet, Daine, and Numair that is."

"What company of the Own is close enough?" Alanna asked, sulking. Jonathan shuffled through the papers on his desk.

"Raoul's," Jonathan replied. "We have to send them. They're the largest, and Raoul's trained them well."

"But how do we get word?" Eliena asked. "They've no mage."

"You'll have to transport yourself," Jonathan replied. "If what Thom told me is correct, all you do is focus on Raoul and it will bring you to him." Eliena nodded.

"I'll go now," she said. She started to fade. "I love you."

"Goddess, watch over her," Alanna whispered. "Keep her safe."

VVVVVVVVVVVV

"Raoul!" Eliena cried. A hundred sets of eyes turned to look at the girl. Several rose, nudging the others. A whisper rippled about, "The princess." The men bowed. Eliena sighed, and went into her "princess mode." She now looked very regal and commanding. "Where is Sir Raoul?" The men pointed to a tent. Eliena acknowledged them with a bow and ran to the tent. She burst in.

"Goddess bless!" the big knight exclaimed. "Eliena!"

"Gather the men. You're needed at the Swoop by sunrise. We're surrounded. Quietly as possible, if you please. Move fast, because we would like to avoid attack on the fortress," Eliena said.

"What's going on, Eliena? The Swoop is surrounded? Is Thayet all right?" Raoul asked.

"Thayet is fine. I don't think they know we know they've surrounded us," Eliena replied. "Listen, I need to get back. There's a magical fog moving in and I don't know what it's going to bring." She shuddered. "Do you have a warm cloak or something I can have? The fog makes me cold." Raoul handed her a fleece-lined tunic. "Thanks." She started to fade away. "Please do hurry, Raoul!" The moment she vanished, Raoul walked out of the tent. All the men jumped to their feet.

"Gather your things!" he bellowed. "We ride fast and soft for the Swoop in five minutes!"

VVVVVVVVVVVV

"Done. I've seen my parents _and_ Raoul, who's bringing his company," Eliena announced. She glanced at Thayet, who looked concerned. "Don't worry, Thayet. Raoul knows what he's doing." Thayet nodded. Eliena looked at Numair, who looked worn out. "What?"

"Dampening spells. That's what's in the fog," Numair replied. "Once in rolls in, you and I will have almost no Gift left." Eliena swore loudly.

"The Lioness's daughter, all right," George remarked, trying to sound amused. He looked grim. "What's the use in having strong mages when their Gifts are useless?"

"Daine," Eliena replied. "Daine's wild magic." Daine's eyes widened. "They can't know we have someone with wild magic. Most think wild magic isn't real. We're sure to have mages, they're not stupid, but a wild mage?" Her eyes glittered dangerously. "This could be fun."

"I've never heard anyone describe an upcoming battle as 'fun' before," George grumbled.

_**Author's Note- **so… I have a question. There wasn't room in the last chapter for this: I've had several people comment that they like Leo. WHY? Is it because he's George's son or is there something about him? REVIEW, por favor. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

As the sun rose over the Emerald Ocean, the fog rolled over Pirate's Swoop. Eliena, Numair, and the others with a strong enough Gift were weakened instantly. Eliena shivered constantly and had to layer winter clothes to keep warm. She decided to stay inside. There was no need to announce her presence. They hadn't flown the royal flag for that same reason.

"Eli," Leo said, poking his head in. "They know you're here and want to talk to you." Grumbling curses, she followed him.

"What?" she demanded of the Stormwing. "Because of your gods-cursed fog, I'm frozen! Make it fast, before I shove my sword in your face."

"Testy, are we, your highness?" the Stormwing asked. Eliena swore and drew her sword. In a moment, the tip of the blade was inches from the Stormwing. He simply stared at it, awed.

"Say what you must, Stormwing, or you'll be dead in seconds." Her voice was cold and commanding, and she stood tall. The Stormwing gulped.

"We will drop our siege if the princess surrenders herself to us," he managed to squeak.

Eliena was silent and drew her sword back. She smiled icily as she said, "When pigs fly." And, blindingly fast, she plunged her sword into his heart.

"Great Mithros!" Thayet breathed as the Stormwing fell.

"Its Alanna all over again!" George exclaimed in a breathy whisper.

Just as the Stormwing hit the ground, a trumpet sounded and the Third Company of the King's Own, led by the giant Sir Raoul of Goldenlake, appeared. The foreign army, still recovering from Eliena's swift move, stood stupefied.

"You're worm food!" Eliena yelled. Raoul took that as his cue and ordered the Own to "Charge!" in his large, bellowing way. The Own attacked with little resistance.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"So, are you going to stay with us, Daine?" Eliena asked after dinner that night as se, Daine, Raoul, Thayet, George, Rose, Onua, Numair, and Leo were seated around the fire.

"I don't know…" Daine replied.

"You can live here," George offered. "Seeing as you like the sea so much."

"Or stay my assistant," Onua chimed in.

"She's _my_ student," Numair pointed out.

"Well _I_ think she should live in the palace," Eliena announced. As always, all eyes fell on her. "Around the palace, she'd have me, and Leo, Thayet, Raoul, the Riders, Numair, and countless others."

Daine laughed, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed. Eliena threw her arms around her friend and hugged. "Welcome to Tortall, Daine."

_**Author's Note- **OK, so I took the easy way out. So sue me. And thus ends the linkage with Wild Magic. If you haven't guessed, Eliena's story will line up with the Immortals books, because that's easier. But, they will be manipulated to make it different a bit. And I'll do stuff after ROTG, too. REVIEW. _


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"I wish I were going," Eliena told Daine a year later.

Daine and Numair were going to fief Dunlath. Daine's wolf pack, the Long Lake Pack, needed her. And Eliena wasn't about to stop the girl, who had explained why this was important. But her parents had said a firm "no." Over their dead bodies was the _heiress_ going to be around _wolves_, even if Daine swore that they wouldn't harm her. With much stomping, swearing, yelling, and eyelash batting, Eliena had conceded to remaining in Corus. The fourteen-year-old would have to be content with Leo and Neal as her companions.

"You'll see me soon enough," Daine promised.

"I'd better!" Eliena said. "Otherwise I'll go mad!"

"You're _already_ mad, Eli," Daine remarked. Eliena glared at her.

"I could have you hung for that, Sarrasri. You're leaving me with _Tyler_." She shuddered.

"_And_ Leo, _and_ Neal," Daine reminded her. "You'll be _fine_."

"Without the _one_ girl my age in the palace who treats me like an actual human, and not like a princess? Sure I will," Eliena muttered. She flicked her hand. "Out, insolent commoner, your presence aggravates me." Daine smiled and shook her head. Even though she had said it in a very noble, stuck-up, princessy way as a joke between them, Eliena wanted to be left alone.

As she walked out, Daine called, "You _will_ see me off, won't you?"

"Of course! I'm not _that_ upset! Great Goddess, Daine!"

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"This is so _boring_," Eliena grumbled.

"More wine your highness?" Leo was at her elbow, holding the pitcher. As a fourth year page and Jonathan's future squire, he was eligible to serve the royal family. It helped that Lord Wyldon had a soft spot for Eliena, and was willing to take her recommendation that Leo be the _only_ page permitted to serve her family.

"_Please_," Eliena said. "Anything stronger? Ale, maybe?" George had given her ale on one of her many trips to the Swoop. She loved the stuff.

"Eliena!" Alanna hissed. The Lioness's daughter rolled her eyes.

"Fine." Leo topped off Eliena's goblet, stifling a giggle. "Just what is so funny, Page Leonard?"

"Nothing, your _highness_," Leo replied. Eliena smiled as he slipped away.

"At least _act_ as if you're enjoying yourself, Eliena," Alanna whispered. "Mithros knows I am."

Eliena knew her mother loathed Court events. And this was one of those large events. It was also pointless. As far as Eliena could tell, they had a ball and a feast just for the sake of having one.

Though, she _did_ love her gown. The sleeves sat just off her shoulders- still tan from her time in the sun- and were stretched taught to her elbows, where it turned into flowing, gauzy material with bell sleeves large enough for her horse to fit his head in. The bodice fit closely to her still-developing body, but showed promise of curves to come. Her skirt appeared to be held out by a cloud, it was so perfect and free. The dress was golden, with threads that seemed spun from gold, sparkling beautifully. If she had ever looked like a princess, it was then. Her stepmother Eleni had made it for her.

"The ball will begin shortly. If everyone will please make their way into the ballroom…" the Master of Ceremonies announced. Eliena rolled her eyes and rose with her parents. (Her younger siblings were in the City of the Gods.) They left first, followed by their closest advisors and then the general courtiers. Eliena found a corner of the ballroom to wait for Neal in before she had to get to the top of the stairs. She craned her neck and stood on her toes, cursing her height of 5'4'', she was too _short_, but she wasn't getting any taller. Where was Neal? There! Eliena waved her hand in the air, trying to avoid her sleeve. He saw her hand and made his way to her.

"Please, Neal, be my escort for the evening," Eliena begged. "Please. I can't do this alone." Neal smiled and kissed her hand.

"I would be honored, Eli," he replied. She smiled at him.

"Thank you. Now, let's get to the top of the stairs before I'm looked for." Holding tightly to Neal, she transported the two of them to the top of the stairs. Jonathan smiled.

"Just in time, Eli, as always," he teased. "Ah, Nealan. Are you her escort?" Neal nodded.

"Yes, your majesty," he replied.

"Very good. Now, my lady, shall we?" he offered his arm to Alanna, who took it.

"Of course, my lord." _Ew_, Eliena thought. _My _parents_ are _flirting_. And wasn't mother ticked off before? I wonder how father cheered her up… _She glanced at her parents. _On second though, I _really_ don't want to know._

"If I may have your attention please?" the Master of Ceremonies said. "Her Royal Highness, Princess Eliena of Conté, heir to Tortall and her escort for the evening, the Student of Healing Nealan of Queenscove." Eliena and Neal floated down the steps. She felt the jealous eyes of many knights, squires, and pages on them. She'd had many offers to be her escort that night, but she had turned them all down in favor of Neal at the last minute. Though she harbored a secret crush, he was one of her very best friends. They reached the dais and Eliena stepped up to the top level. She curtsied and Neal bowed, kissing her hand. She sat in her "small" throne, and Neal stood on the ground beside the throne that would usually be filled by her younger sister Lianne. "His Royal Majesty King Jonathan IV of Conté and Her Royal Majesty Queen Alanna of Olau and Conté!" Jonathan and Alanna looked so royal, that Eliena had to smile. She was proud to call them her parents at moments like this. Jonathan's large throne was beside hers, and Alanna's on his other side. As the heir, she had a slightly smaller throne beside her father on the top level of the dais. Her younger brother Roald and younger sister Lianne had thrones smaller than hers on the lower level, as the minor prince and princess. Jonathan rose.

"Let the ball begin!" he decreed. Everyone clapped and he sat down. The music began. As was custom, the royal family sat out the first dance. Neal went to talk with his friends and Leo waved to Eliena across the room. She acknowledged him with a deep nod, as not to seem un-princess-like.

When the second song came around, Eliena rose. About fifty men came to ask her for the first dance. Neal was talking, so Eliena offered her hand to Sir Dominik of Danshame. He was a terrible dancer, Eliena found out. The second dance went to Neal, the third to Leo, the fourth to Squire Hargreave of Coas Wood, the fifth to her father, and the rest to Neal again. She and Neal talked while they danced. She told him about how she missed Daine and Numair, and he said he did too. They speculated about what could be going on in Dunlath that they had been gone almost a week.

Finally, Eliena glanced at her father. He nodded to her. Neal gave her a puzzled look.

"He's about to announce that we are retiring to our chambers," she replied. "But I don't actually have to _go_. He and mother are just tired." Neal smiled and nodded.

"Let's grab Leo and go for a ride," he suggested.

"I don't know…" Neal looked shocked.

"Who are you and where've you put Eliena?" he asked. "The Eliena _I_ know wouldn't hesitate to get out of here."

"Neal, I have responsibilities," Eliena replied. She was shocking herself. But, then again, she _was_ getting older.

"So bring a keeper," Neal retorted. "Come _on_, Eliena. We're not going to live forever, you know. Have fun now, before you have to become all serious." Eliena smiled.

"All right."

_**Author's Note- **OK, so I wrote the last few lines while listening to "4ever" by the Veronicas. (Awesome song, BTW) So… REVIEW. _


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Eliena, Eliena, you're glowing." Onua pointed to Eliena's bracelet, which glowed violet.

"One minute," Eliena told the people gathered around her and called up the violet ball. "Yes?"

"How soon can you get here?" Numair demanded.

"Hello, Numair. I'm fine, thank you so kindly for asking. Everything is going quite nicely, thank you so very much. Oh, my parents? They-"

"Eliena." Numair was serious.

"How soon can I get _where_?" she asked.

"Dunlath," Numair replied.

"In seconds, why?" she wanted to know.

"Good. Bring Thom. Get a Rider group and a company of the Own. Tell them to hurry. I need you here. No time to explain."

"All right. Give me five minutes." The ball disappeared and Eliena turned to Onua. "What Rider group is closest to Dunlath?"

"The Ninth," Onua replied. "

"How soon can they be there?"

"I'm not sure…"

"Find out. I need to grab Uncle Thom. And find out which company is closest." Eliena vanished and reappeared in her uncle's chambers.

"Great Merciful Mother, Eliena!" Thom exclaimed. "Don't do that!"

"Numair wants us in Dunlath _now_," Eliena told him. "And don't ask, I haven't the slightest idea. I'll tell my parents. You go on ahead." She vanished and appeared in her parents' study. "Uncle Thom and I are going to Dunlath. Numair needs me. I'll be safe. Bye!" She transported herself back to Onua, who reported that the Riders could be there within twenty-four hours and the Third Company of the Own could be there within two day. Eliena nodded and transported herself to Numair.

"Is that the princess?" a huge, lizard-like creature asked. Eliena jumped nearly a foot in the air.

"What in the name of the Blessed Mother is _that_?" she exclaimed.

"Eliena, this is Tkaa. He is a basilisk and Daine's new… friend. Tkaa, this is Crown Princess Eliena of Conté. We just call her Eli," Numair introduced. "Eli, Tkaa is speaking for Daine, who can't get through _that_." He pointed to a magical barrier.

"Great Merciful Mother," she breathed. She walked up and pressed her palm to it, and then cried out in pain. Eliena yanked her hand back and blew on her palm. "Magic much?"

"Three or more mages' magics are holding it," Thom explained. "At least two of them went to the university in Carthak with Numair."

Eliena swore. "And… Daine?"

"She is trapped within the valley," Numair replied. "If I am correct, Kitten, Cloud, and Lady Maura of Dunlath are with her. Don't look so concerned, Eli. Daine has friends everywhere, remember?"

"Yolane and Belden," Eliena hissed, the steam practically coming from her ears. Thom, Numair, and Tkaa stepped back from the fuming princess. "Yolane's been after father's throne for _years_. Everyone knows it. If father and mother hadn't married, Yolane would be queen." She spat on the ground in a very un-princess-like manner. "Thank the gods for that."

"Don't be so sure about that, Eli," Thom said. "Yolane knows the only way she'll be queen now is to get rid of Jonathan."

"Not if I have anything to say about it! I'm the heiress!" she snapped.

"Not if she kills you, and the twins," Numair replied coolly. Eliena flopped onto the ground.

"I'll kill her, I swear…" Eliena muttered. She looked up at the men and immortal. "Is there any way to get in? Can't we break the barrier?"

Numair shook his head. "The only way to get in is for it to be broken from the _inside_." Eliena swore again.

"What if mother _and_ father came? _Then_ could we break it? With father, mother, Uncle Thom, your, and my Gifts combined, we could surely break it!" she said, hopefully. Thom shook his head.

"The barrier is _absorbing _the magic, Eli. And, besides, Jonathan and Alanna can't be here together." Eliena groaned.

"I just want to- Mithros!" She pounded her hand against the ground. "I hate being useless!"

"You and your mother," Thom remarked, shaking his head. "You need to be _doing_ something to be happy." Eliena glared at him.

"Uncle Thom," she said, her voice icily flat, "this is not the time for that. We need to figure out… hello, little marmoset."

"_Marmoset_?" Numair shoved Eliena to see the creature. "Daine?"

"_Daine_? Is that you in there?" The marmoset nodded.

"She said, 'it's me'," Tkaa relayed.

"_You can understand her_?" Thom, Numair, and Eliena asked in awe. Tkaa nodded.

"Daine, what's going on in there?" Eliena asked. "Can you break this barrier? I have a few things I'd like to say to Yolane. And none of them are 'hello, cousin.'"

"She said she can do her best, but needs instructions," Tkaa replied.

"Break the gods-cursed barrier!" Eliena yelled. She clapped her hand over her mouth. "They can't hear me, can they?" Numair shook his head. Eliena smiled.

"She can't 'just break the barrier', Eliena," Tkaa told the princess. "She needs to be told. Oh, Numair, Daine wants to know what 'bloodrain' is." Numair and Thom went white.

"Bloodrain?" Thom asked in a strangled voice.

"Oh, no. Tristan," Numair murmured.

"What's bloodrain? Daine's not the _only_ one out of the loop!" Eliena exclaimed.

"Daine, is there bloodrain?" Numair asked. The marmoset nodded. "Mithros. Daine, you have to get out of there."

"She says it will affect the whole valley. They're putting it in the river." Tkaa told them. Thom and Numair blanched.

"_What is bloodrain_?" Eliena asked, growing agitated.

"A terrible thing. Eats things alive," Thom replied.

"And if it gets inside…" Numair gulped.

"It will eat you from the inside out," Eliena finished with a shiver. "Goddess, we have to do something."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Three days later, a plan was in place. Eliena stood with Thom, ready to go in and stop them. She wore chain mail, with a silver helm tucked under her arm. There was a gold crown painted on it to show her royal blood.

The barrier started to disfigure and dissolve. "Five… four… three… two…" Eliena counted down.

"_One_!" Thom yelled and the barrier disappeared completely.

_To Daine_! Eliena commanded and transported herself to her friend.

_**Author's Note- **next chapter will begin EMPEROR MAGE. That will be v. interesting, promise. Argh. Oh, "Lady Alanna and the Prince" is on hold. REVIEW. _


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"This is so unfair! You didn't let me go to Dunlath, and I ended up going _anyway_. Why won't you let me _go_? Mithros, father, its not like I'll be _alone_!" Eliena exclaimed.

Eliena was fifteen. Jonathan and Alanna were sending a delegation to Carthak in hopes of peace. The people going were Duke Gareth of Naxen, Alanna and Jonathan's former training master, Jonathan's uncle, and Eli's great-uncle; Sir Gareth the Younger of Naxen, Jonathan's cousin, Eliena's cousin once removed, Duke Gareth's son, and Jonathan's chief advisor/prime minister; Numair; Daine; and Thayet. Jonathan's Champion, Raoul, had been _going_ to go, but they had decided against it, as he was the Knight Commander of the King's Own, and really couldn't leave Tortall. So, Eliena (and her mother) were trying to convince Jonathan that what better way to show Emperor Ozorne that he trusted him and wanted peace then to send his heir?

So far, it wasn't working.

"Jonathan, this is really a good idea," Alanna supported. "Ozorne will know you want peace when you send Eli."

"No," Jonathan said. "Eliena can_not_ go."

"Oh, father. Think about it. Daine and Thayet are the _only_ women going. And Thayet is part of the delegation. Daine is not. Poor Daine will be _alone _or with the person Ozorne assigns as her guide. She would be more at ease, and _more willing to work with his birds_ if she is happy." It was common knowledge that Daine wouldn't be going to Carthak if Emperor Ozorne's birds weren't sick. "Please, father?" Eliena did her best to look sweet and innocent. Alanna gave her husband a serious look.

"She gets her manipulative streak from your side, not mine," Alanna said.

"Thank you, Alanna," Jonathan remarked. "That was very helpful." He sighed. "Eliena-"

"Yay!" Eliena exclaimed.

"I haven't said anything," Jonathan said, obviously confused.

"You don't need to. You only sigh and say 'Eliena' when you're about to say I can do something _if_ I do something else," Eliena replied. "You _always_ do it."

"She's right, you know," Alanna agreed.

"I'm glad to see my family listens to my speaking habits so closely," Jonathan remarked dryly. "Anyway. Eliena, you _may_ go to Carthak _if_ you are on your best behavior, act like a _proper_ lady, and _watch your tongue_."

"Who's my keeper?" Eliena asked.

"Whoever Emperor Ozorne assigns as your guide."

"Won't I be part of the delegation?"

"Sort of. You don't have to sit in on anything. I'll write a letter outlining the details."

"Can I get new dresses? And breeches? And shirts? And tunics?"

"Yes. Any more questions?"

"No," Eliena replied with a smile. "Thank you, father." She kissed his black-bearded cheek and flounced out.

"You're too soft on her," Alanna told Jonathan. "Where's your backbone?"

Jonathan glared at the Lioness wearily. "Don't start with me, Alanna."

"Start what?" the queen asked innocently.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Bye!" Eliena called, waving furiously to those who had come to see the delegation off. They had left from Port Legann, not daring to use one of the Southern ports, though it would be shorter.

"Be good!" Alanna yelled.

"I always am!" Eliena called back. The Lioness shook her head and smiled.

"Write often!" Neal and Leo cried together.

"Of course!" Eliena turned to Daine and smiled. "Ready for adventure, Daine?"

"Everything's an adventure with you, Eliena. Even a simple trip to the dining hall," Daine replied. Eliena tossed her head, but the effect wasn't as great with the strong wind.

"That's why you love me so much," she said, giving Daine a one-armed hug. "This is going to be _grand_, Daine, I promise."

"I'm glad you're excited, Eli," Numair remarked. The girls turned to look at the tall, lanky mage. "Because I'm sure you'll feel differently once we reach Carthak." Eliena shrugged.

"Sure, Numair," she said. "Cheer up, will you?"

"Cheer up? Eliena, I was _pardoned_ to come," Numair told her.

"Oh, pfft," Eliena said, flicking her hand. "Details, details." Her violet eyes lit up. "This is going to be _so much fun_!" Numair laughed as Eliena jumped and danced around, yelling, "Carthak! Carthak! We're going to Carthak!"

"Eliena, sometimes I wonder if you're _five_, not _fifteen_," Numair told her. Eliena, without stopped, shot violet fire at him, burning his thigh.

"Watch it, mage!" she called.

Eliena's voice was carried by the wind: _"Carthak! Carthak! We're going to Carthak! Carthak! Carthak! We're going to Carthak! Carthak! Carthak! We're going to Carthak! Carthak! Carthak…"_ And the people standing on the dock heard it. Alanna laughed.

"That's Eliena," she remarked.

"Of course it is," Neal replied. "Who else would be screaming like that?"

Alanna sighed. "She makes me feel old."

"Old, your majesty?" Neal asked, smiling. "Eliena makes _me_ feel old and we're the same age!"

"She makes _everyone_ feel old," Leo told them. "Always has. Its just her nature."

"I hope she grows up before they reach Carthak," Alanna said seriously, the wind blowing her hair back from her face, showing the seriousness in her eyes and mouth. "Because she'll certainly have a shock otherwise."

"What do you mean, Aunt Alanna?" Leo asked. Alanna shook her head and smiled, but there was still concern in her eyes.

"Nothing, Leo. Nothing," she replied, and walked away.

"Something tells me 'nothing' is a whole lot of 'something'," Leo remarked.

"We can't do anything now, Leo. Just leave it," Neal said. "C'mon. I think she wants to get moving." Neal went to his horse, following the queen, but Leo still stood on the dock. He tilted his face toward the sky and prayed: "Great Mother, please keep her safe. Don't let any harm come to Eliena. She's too alive for that. I don't know what we'd do without her. So mote it be."

As he went to go after Neal, Leo could've sworn he heard _"I will see what I can do, my son"_ come from the sky. He shivered and jogged away.

_**Author's Note- **sorry to get all serious on you. New chapter when I can. In the meantime, REVIEW. _


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"I'm squished," Eliena remarked, shifting in the small, cramped room.

"We're _all_ squished," Numair said.

"Can we hurry then?" Eliena asked. "I don't even know _why_ we're doing this in the first place…" Duke Gareth shot his grandniece a stern look, and she stopped talking.

"We're _here_, your highness," Lord Martin of Meron said, "to discuss how we are to act on this delegation." He glared at Eliena. She rolled her eyes. She had never liked Martin of Meron.

"Go on, Uncle Gareth," Eliena urged, holding back what she _wanted_ to say: "Shut your mouth, Lord Martin. You forget your place in the presence of your betters!"

_**(From EMPEROR MAGE pg. 6) **"Let me remind all of you one last time: _be very careful_ regarding your actions while we are here. Do _nothing_ to jeopardize out mission. The emperor is willing to make peace, but that peace is in no manner secure. If negotiations fall through due to an error on our parts, the other Eastern Lands will not support us. We will be on our own and Carthak will be on _us.

_"We _need_ this peace. We cannot match the imperial armies and navy, any more than we can match imperial wealth. In a fight on Tortallan soil, we _might_ prevail, but war of any kind would be long and costly, in terms of lives and in terms of resources._

_"Go nowhere you are forbidden to go. Do not speak of freedom to the slaves. However we may dislike the practice, it would be unwise to show that dislike publicly. Accept no gifts, boxes, or paper from _anyone_ unless they come with the knowledge of the emperor. _Offer_ no gifts or pieces of paper to anyone. I understand is it the custom to the palace mages to scatter listening spells through the buildings and grounds. Watch what you say. If a problem arises, let my son, or Lord Martin, or Master Numair know _at once."

_"Kitten will be able to detect listening spells. I'm not saying she can't be magicked, but most common sorceries won't fool her," _Numair said. Duke Gareth looked at Daine and Eliena, who were seated side by side.

_"Daine, be careful. You'll be on your own more than the rest of us, though it's my hope that if you can help his birds, the emperor will let you be. Those birds are his only weakness I think._ And, Eliena. Your father was kind enough to allow you to come. Please, Eliena, I know that you're not one to hold your tongue, but do your best. We aren't in Tortall. You are expected to behave like a proper princess here, and I'm sure Thayet can show you how that is done if you are unsure."

_"You understand the rules?" _Lord Martin asked. He leaned around Duke Gareth to look at the teenagers. _"No childish pranks. Mind your manners, and do as you're told."_ Kitten squawked and Eliena glared at him.

"Lord Martin," she said, fighting to keep her voice even and cool, as she had heard her parents do often, "I believe you forget your place in the presence of your princess." Numair put a hand on Eliena's shoulder and gently held Kitten's mouth closed.

"The girls _understand these things quite well. _Daine has obeyed instruction on missions far more dangerous, and Eliena _does_ know how to behave," Numair remarked.

"Neither girl would've come if there were doubts, Lord Martin," Duke Gareth said. _"Remember, Master Numair, you, too, must be careful. The emperor was extraordinarily gracious to grant a pardon to you, and to allow you to meet with scholars at the palace. Don't forget the conditions of that pardon. If he catches you wrongdoing, he will be able to arrest, try, and even execute you, and we will be helpless to stop him._"

Numair smiled. _"Believe me, Your Grace, I don't plan to five Ozorne any excuse to rescind my pardon. I was in his dungeons once and see no reason to repeat the experience."_ Eliena put her arm around him.

"Besides, Uncle Gareth," she said, grinning, "Me 'n Daine will keep him in line."

"I've no doubt that you will, Eliena." Duke Gareth smiled at her. "Now, get changed if you must. We are about to dock."

"Let me out!" Eliena cried. She took Daine's hand and the girls went to the room they had shared on the boat. "What are you going to wear? I have to wear a dress." Eliena made a face. Daine produced a gray silk shirt with bloused sleeves and a high, embroidered collar with silver buttons; blue linen breeches; and a blue linen dress tunic. Eliena smiled. "You'll look fantastic. Blue and gray are perfect with your eyes." Eliena took out the dress she would be wearing. It was a simple day dress, but left no doubt that she was the heir to Tortall. The bodice was silver, and cut in her new favorite style. The long sleeves began just off her shoulders and fit like a glove to her elbows, where they gave way to long, sheer, bell sleeves, also silver. The bodice was also embroidered beautifully, with the shield of Conté, the shield of the Lioness, and vines. Unless you looked carefully, you wouldn't be able to tell what the embroidery was. The skirt was straight and silky, floating around Eliena's legs beautifully. It was royal blue.

Once the girls were dressed, Eliena brushed Daine's smoky brown curls and tied them up with a blue-gray silk ribbon. Daine ran a brush through Eliena's black hair, now almost as curly as her own, not wavy. Eliena's hair pulled back into a low horsetail with a blue and silver ribbon. It was more to keep the long locks from blowing around than anything else. Both girls slid their feet into lightweight slippers the same color as their bottoms, and smiled.

"Ready?" Daine asked.

"Always," Eliena replied. They hooked arms and went to the deck.

_**Author's Note- **next chapter: meeting the people from Carthak. Must go write something else and then do some Algebra homework. EVERYONE: **you must read "Happily Ever After?" by Megmae. It is a SPLENDID story. **Now, review._


	11. Chapter 11

_**DEDICATION: **this chapter is dedicated to my friend **Megmae**, cause she's awesome and deserves a dedication. :P_

**Chapter 11**

Eliena stood in the front of the delegation, flanked by Thayet, Duke Gareth and Lord Martin. Behind them were Numair and some other assorted officials, followed by Daine, Kitten, Gary, and the clerks. Eliena wished she could talk to someone.

"Welcome, Tortallan friends!" a herald announced. "This is His Royal Highness Kaddar Gazanoi Iliniat, Head of House Khazoi, Prince of Siraj, Duke of Yamut, Count of Amar, First Lord of the Imperium, heir apparent to His Most Serene and Imperial Majesty Emperor Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe, Emperor of Carthak." The herald was handed a parchment with the names of the Tortallan delegation on it. "Your highness, Lady Thayet of Goldenlake, Duke Gareth the Elder of Naxen, Lord Martin of Meron, and Her Royal Highness Princess Eliena of Conté, heiress to the Realm of Tortall." Duke Gareth and Lord Martin bowed and Eliena stepped forward. She looked at the prince, who had to be around her age, and almost laughed.

_**(EMPEROR MAGE pg. 23) **The odd shape of the prince's eyes came from dark lines drawn on both lids and extended to his temples. He was a light-skinned black, with thin lips and long, thick eyelashes, dressed in a calf-length tunic of crimson silk. His jewels shimmered in the sun. He boasted three rings in his left ear, a gold bangle shaped like a many-flamed sun, and a ruby drop in the right. Another ruby served him as a nose button. He wore a collar-like necklace of gold inlaid with mother-of-pearl strips. Rings decorated fingers and thumbs; bracelets hung on both wrists. A flash drew her eyes to his feet, where she found rings on toes bared by his sandals. _He was so shiny that Eliena was almost positive she was going blind.

"Welcome, cousin," Kaddar said, meeting Eliena's eyes and surprised to find them violet.

"Eliena, if you please," she corrected, curtsying just far enough. She knew Thayet would be proud. Eliena stepped back and let the herald announce the others. She grabbed Daine once the girl was finished. "His name is a story!" Eliena whispered. Daine giggled.

"And I almost went blind looking at him!" she agreed.

"I wonder if he's handsome," Eliena mused. Daine gasped and hit Eliena gently on the arm.

"Eliena!" Daine exclaimed softly.

"What?" Eliena rubbed the spot where Daine had hit her. "What?"

"Never mind," Daine replied, shaking her head.

"Daine. Eliena," Numair hissed, nudging them. "The Prince is trying to say something to you!" The girls focused on the prince.

"Your highness, Veralidaine, it is my hope that, should you have idle time on your visit, that you will allow me the honor of showing you our country," Kaddar said. Eliena and Daine curtsied.

"It would be our honor," the girls chorused, curtsying together. They boarded the boat to meet the other ambassadors. They ignored the names, neither cared, and saw Numair's face light up when he saw a man who was clearly a northerner. He wore a robe much like Numair's-a mage's robe. Numair's was black; this man's was scarlet with brown on the hems.

"Lindhall Reed," the herald said. The girls exchanged a smile. Numair often spoke of his teacher.

_**(EM, pg. 26)**"Arram," Lindhall said, using Numair's birth name, "welcome, if that is the proper word."_

_Numair's eyes were overbright. "I'm surprised you remembered our arrival," he replied, voice scratchy. "I thought I'd have to root you out of your workroom."_

_"No, no." Reed's voice was quiet, cultured, and fast, as if he fought to breathe. "I have a good assistant, better than you were. She keeps track of everything. Unfortunately, she's about to go live with merfolk and study their culture. I hear they're moving in all along the Tortallan coast. I'd though they'd look in rookeries, like sea lions, but their nature appears to be more tribal." _Eliena nudged Numair.

"Are you going to introduce us?" Eliena wanted to know, eyes glittering.

"Of course, where are my manners?" Numair replied.

"Manners? What manners?" Eliena teased.

Numair ignored her. "Lindhall, this is Veralidaine Sarrasri, my student, and Her Royal Highness Princess Eliena of Conté, who is my part-time student," he introduced. Lindhall bowed and kissed Eliena's hand.

"An honor, your highness," he said.

"Please," Eliena replied. "Numair talks about you _all the time_. I'm Eli to my friends, or Eliena. Whichever you please." Lindhall smiled.

"Thank you," he said. "And, what am I to call you?" He turned to Daine.

"Just Daine," she replied.

"You're the one with wild magic, aren't you?" Lindhall asked, and Daine nodded. "Numair's written about you. Both of you."

"I hope it was good," Eliena said, smiling at Numair.

"Everything about you is good, Eli," Numair replied with a sickly sweet smile.

"Liar," she retorted. "What has he told you, Master Lindhall? I'd like to clear up and… _false reports_." Lindhall chuckled.

"I hear about your exploits often, Princess Eliena. From what I've read, you aren't the typical princess," Lindhall replied.

"Eliena," she corrected. "And, with a mother like mine, I can hardly be expected to be normal."

"She's normal in Tortall," Daine explained. "But, elsewhere? Nothing in Tortall is normal to most."

"And Daine would know," Eliena said. "She's from Galla. Coming to Tortall was a culture shock for her."

"All right, girls. That's enough bothering of Master Lindhall," Thayet called. "Come over here, you two!"

"We're not bothering him!" They retorted as Lindhall insisted, "Oh, no, Lady Thayet, they aren't bothering me at all."

"Lindhall, I have some questions that need answering. You girls go on ahead," Numair said.

"_Fine_," Eliena huffed. "Come on, Daine."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

That evening, there was a ball to welcome them and to meet the emperor. They were in a grand room with magical globes that shone brighter as the sky darkened. The doors opened, beckoning the Tortallans forward. Again, they resumed the same order in which they had been introduced to Kaddar in. Daine wore a twilight-blue silk gown and smiled at the glances she received from some of the young men. They usually came after the men had taken an eyeful of the princess, but that they noticed _her_ was an honor.

Eliena had to look flawless. She wore a brand-new ball gown. The bodice was fitted, with a look that most women only achieved with the help of a corset. Her waist was tiny and curved easily into her hips. The straps of the gown rested just off her shoulders, showing her tanned skin, and the curves of her breasts were exposed to the maximum acceptability. The skirt was loose and flowing, swishing when she walked and flying out when she spun. Her black curls cascaded down her back, a lovely contrast to the pale blue-violet silk of the gown, which also set off her tan. Though she disliked it, a delicate silver crown of vines dotted with sapphires rested on top of her hair. Had they been in Tortall, she would've worn a grander crown.

"Welcome, daughter of my royal cousins, King Jonathan IV of Conté and his bride, Queen Alanna the Lioness of Olau and Conté," Ozorne greeted. Eliena smiled and curtsied, again, just enough. Ozorne kissed Eliena's hand. "Such a beautiful young woman would be a jewel in any Court." She blushed slightly.

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty," she said. "I am honored to have been permitted to come to your glorious country."

"Ah, and the manners of an angel," Ozorne remarked. "How could we ever have ill relations with a country which has produced such a gem as this fine young lady?" Eliena smiled and curtsied again.

"Thank you," she said. "I am honored." She stepped away and Numair smiled at her. "Has he always been so… flattering?" Numair chuckled.

"He always was a flirt," he replied. Eliena made a gagging motion at the thought of the Emperor Mage- as old as Numair, who was almost thirty- flirting with her. "Now, Eliena. Manners." Eliena rolled her eyes.

"_Was_ he flirting?" Eliena asked.

"No," Numair replied. "He was simply flattering you. He's charming, though, isn't he?"

"Yeah, and so was Roger," Eliena muttered, recalling the tales of her cousin once removed, Duke Roger of Conté.

Once the introductions and formalities were finished, the ball began. Eliena sat in one of the alcoves, on the bench. Daine and Thayet were on either side of her, with Numair leaning against the wall. He spotted someone he knew, lit up, and left not five minutes after claiming his spot.

"I hate this," Eliena muttered.

"We know," Thayet and Daine chorused. An elegant, dark-haired man came over to them and bowed.

"Your Royal Highness, would you do me the honor of this dance?" he asked. Eliena gave Thayet a withering look. Thayet nodded discreetly.

"It would be a pleasure," Eliena replied, taking his hand.

_This is going to be a _long_ night._

_**Author's Note- **OK, what did you think? And don't forget to check out **"Happily Ever After?" **by **Megmae**, which I'm collaborating on. Read it. REVIEW! (This AND that!)_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Good morning, Eli!" Thayet greeted brightly the next morning as Eliena dragged herself into the common room in the guest wing. Eliena muttered something unintelligible and sat down in one of the chairs.

"What?" Gary asked, smiling. Eliena glared at him.

"Food," she replied. "Give me food." Gary handed her a plate laden with breakfast goodies. She dug into it.

"Hungry, are we?" Numair teased. Eliena glared at the mage.

"Good morning," Duke Gareth greeted, walking in, fully clothed. Eliena glanced around and saw that the men were all dressed, while the women had dressing gowns buttoned up over their nightshirts. "Eliena, Thayet, you had best get dressed?"

"Excuse me?" Eliena asked, blinking at her uncle. "Uncle Gareth, I _just_ got up."

"Yes, Eliena. Meetings start within the hour," he replied. Eliena sighed.

"_Must_ I go, father?" she asked.

"Yes, Eli. It is the first day. Daine, you had best come for openings," Gareth replied. Eliena groaned and rose.

"Give me a few minutes." She began to walk in the direction of the women's side. "I suppose breeches would _not_ be appropriate?" She called.

"_No_!" Numair, Lord Martin, Gareth, Thayet, and Gary cried. Eliena's laugh echoed as she walked into her room. She sifted through her gowns and found a perfect one: a simple tank dress with a square neckline. The pale yellow went well with her dark hair and coloring. It did nothing for her eyes, but that was all right. Her eyes always got attention anyway.

"Daine?" Eliena called. "What are you wearing?" Daine, who was across the hall, held up a royal blue dress. Eliena nodded. "Thayet?" Thayet walked to the door, all dressed in a jade dress that produced green tones in her hazel eyes. "Fantastic. Everyone ready?" Eliena, Daine, and Thayet went back to the common room. Numair, Gary, and Gareth rose. Gary offered Thayet his arm, who accepted with a smile. They were close friends. Numair took Daine, leaving Eliena with her uncle. Gareth smiled at her.

"It looks like I have you, Eli," he said, and bowed. "I would be honored, your highness, if you would allow me the distinct pleasure of accompanying you to the meeting." Eliena giggled and accepted.

"Of course, uncle," she replied. Standing on tiptoe, Eliena kissed his cheek. "I'd rather go with you any day."

Gareth chuckled. "You're a liar, Eliena, but a flattering one."

Eliena smiled, her eyes twinkling wickedly. "I'm terrible, just like my mother."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

An hour later, Eliena wished she _were_ her mother. Then she wouldn't be subject to this _torture_. She was bored out of her mind, and kept trying to hide her yawns, only to be polite. Daine was seated beside her, and seemed to be slowly falling asleep. Gareth noticed the girls' bored looks, and nudged Eliena.

"You can leave. Kaddar looks ready to leave as well," he whispered.

"Thank you," Eliena muttered. She cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Your Imperial Majesty, but might Veralidaine and I take our leave?" Ozorne smiled.

"Of course, Your Royal Highness," he replied. "Kaddar, accompany them." Kaddar rose and bowed.

"As you wish, uncle." He walked down to Eliena and Daine, who followed him out. Once outside, he smiled at them. "Thank you. Now, I suppose I should know what to call you." He bowed. "I am His Royal Highness Prince Kaddar, but you may call me Kaddar, as I assume we'll be spending a large amount of time together." Eliena curtsied.

"Her Royal Highness Princess Eliena of Conté," she replied. Daine curtsied deeper than Eliena, being of commoner descent. "Eliena or Eli to my friends."

"Veralidaine Sarrasri," she introduced. "Daine."

"A pleasure meeting you both," Kaddar said. "Now, what would you like to see?"

"_Everything_," Eliena replied. Kaddar laughed.

"I can only show you some things. Your whole delegation will see the menagerie later," he said.

"Well, then," Eliena remarked. "Shall we go, then?" She started down the hall and turned back. "Uh, who's the stranger here?"

Kaddar laughed and went to meet her. Daine walked several paces behind, watching Eliena. _She's a flirt_, Daine thought with a sigh. _I wish _I _could do that!_

_**Author's Note- **so… that was kind of a filler. Next chapter holds the menagerie part. Yes, Chelsea, lots of Numy-ness. But there will also be Varice, so mentally prepare yourself. Now, my darlings, REVIEW!_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

A willowy blonde with blue eyes entered the hall just outside the menagerie. Numair grinned and walked over to her. They clasped hands. He kissed both her cheeks and they hugged.

"Arram, how _are_ you?" she asked. Eliena took in the woman. Her face was heavily made-up, which had always turned Eliena off. She preferred her beauty to be _natural_. She had rich curves, accentuated by a northern-style soft blue dress, covered by a cream colored mage's robe.

"Better now that you're here," Numair replied. Eliena glanced at Daine and made a gagging motion. "I saw that, Eliena." Eliena smiled sweetly at her teacher and friend.

"Saw what?" she asked. Numair laughed.

"Arram, are you going to introduce me?" the woman asked, smiling at Daine and Eliena.

"Oh, of course!" Numair smiled at the woman. "Eliena, Daine, this is Varice Kingsford, an old friend. Varice, these are my students. This young lady is Veralidaine Sarrasri, and the _jewel_ of our delegation, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Eliena of Conté, heiress to Tortall." Eliena glared at Numair, ticked that he had used the same term (jewel) that Ozorne had. Varice curtsied.

"Your Highness," she said. "I am honored." Eliena acknowledged her with an incline of her head.

"Likewise," she replied. She smiled. "Your dress is simply _gorgeous_."

Varice smiled. She obviously enjoyed talking about fashion. "As is yours!" Eliena had changed into a royal purple silk gown cut in her favorite style. "That cut is so flattering! And, great Mithros, look at your _figure_! I'm sure all the boys chase you." Eliena smiled. She liked this Varice person.

"Well, I try," she replied. The women laughed.

"Varice, I _know_ how much you're enjoying this conversation, but there are others you should meet…" Varice put her hand on Eliena's forearm.

"We'll talk later, I promise," she whispered with a wink. Eliena nodded. Lindhall came to stand with the girls.

"Why don't I like her?" Daine wondered aloud.

"Because she's prettier than you?" Eliena suggested. Daine glared at her.

"Thank you, Eliena," she remarked. "That was so kind of you."

"_May_be you have a crush on Numair," Eliena offered. Daine shrugged. "Lindhall, who is she and _why_ is she so close to Numair?" Lindhall smiled.

"Before Numair fled, he and Varice were lovers," Lindhall replied. "She hasn't married, and there have been some serious suitors after her."

"You think Numair would marry her now?" Eliena asked.

"Absolutely not," Thayet replied, entering the conversation. "Numair wouldn't do any such thing."

"Thayet's right," Daine put in.

Eliena shrugged. "Personally, I wouldn't mind having Varice around."

"You want someone to tell you what to wear is all," Thayet teased. Eliena grinned.

"Of course, Thayet. You know me."

"Shall we?" Lindhall asked, walking to the doors. "Lady Thayet?" He bowed. Thayet took Lindhall's arm. Numair and Lord Martin followed them. Duke Gareth, Kaddar, Varice, Gary, Eliena, and Daine were left. Kaddar turned to Eliena and bowed.

"Princess Eliena, would you do me the honor?" he asked, offering his arm.

"It would be a pleasure, Prince Kaddar," Eliena replied. She liked Ozorne's heir. He was kind, and (from what she saw) very handsome. And he knew what it was like to be the heir to a country. That was important. When she looked back, Varice was with Duke Gareth, leaving Daine with Gary. Eliena smiled. Daine always liked spending time with Eliena's cousin.

They meandered through the menagerie. Eliena hoped Daine was happy that the animals were in large enclosures, not small, cramped ones like Eliena's father had once had. They were nearing the end, when Daine gasped.

"What are those?" she asked in wonder. Eliena looked, and felt Kaddar stiffen.

"Oh, glory," Daine breathed.

"Great Merciful Mother," Eliena inhaled.

_**(EM, pg. 74) **The area was less well kept than the others. A small pond lay near the wall, but much of the water in it had evaporated. The grass was brown-edged and lay in patches on bare, dusty-looking ground. The remains of shattered bones lay everywhere. In back, lying out of the sun in a shallow cave, were three shaggy, spotted brown bodies. **(cut) **The source of the shattered bones had to be those powerful jaws, equipped with strong teeth. The least of these creatures weighed more than she did. One their fours they were tallest and heaviest at the shoulder, their spotted fur covering slablike muscle. Their hindquarters were low and short, but strong. Small tail sported jaunty tufts at the end._

"Numair?" Eliena called. Numair appeared between her and Daine. "What are these?"

_**(EM, pg. 75) **"Spotted hyenas. From the grass plains of Ekallatum, far to the south. Night hunters, for the most part—see the eyes? They have the strongest bite of any mortal predator—it crushes even the bones of water buffalo. Hyena packs are matriarchal—"_

"They're _what_?" Eliena and Daine asked together.

"Matriarchal," Numair replied with a smile. "They are led by females—sisters, usually."

"Well, I'm sure mother would approve," Eliena remarked.

"I'm sure she would," Lord Martin sniffed. Eliena whipped around to face him, eyes blazing.

"Don't you _dare_ comment on my mother that way," she snapped. "My mother deserves _respect_ for what she did, Lord Martin. You should _thank_ her. She and my father made _your_ life at Persopolis easier by ridding the Black City of the Bazhir. Learn to watch your tongue in the presence of your princess, Lord Martin, or there will be dire consequences." Kaddar gaped at Eliena.

"When Eliena's mad, she gets like that," Daine whispered.

"I'll be sure to watch myself then," Kaddar replied. Daine smiled.

"That would be wise," Numair told him, dark eyes serious. "Because, if you hurt her, there will be many after you."

"Numair!" Thayet hissed.

Daine wondered why Numair had told Kaddar that. And she wondered even more why Kaddar looked so nervous…

_**Author's Note- **now that I only have Alternate Princess to work on, I don't have to worry about writing two updates. Once this is finished, I'll post my REWORK of "The Unknown Heiress", with a new title and more developed storyline. Now, REVIEW!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Eliena, can we… talk to you?" Duke Gareth asked four nights later as Eliena was writing home to Leo.

"Of course, uncle," she replied. She signed off her letter with: _I have to go. I miss you! Love always, Eli._ She folded it, wrote _Leo_ on the front, and followed her uncle to the common area. Thayet, Numair, and Gary looked nervous. She noted that Lord Martin was absent. She glanced at Duke Gareth, and saw he, too, was nervous. "What's the matter?"

"Eli…" Numair sighed. "We have some… difficult news."

"Is it father? Or mother? Or Lianne? Or Roald? Or Leo? Or George? Or Rose? Or Neal? Or-" Thayet raised her hand, cutting her off.

"No, Eli, sweetheart," she said. "No one back home. This is about _you_."

"Uh oh," Eliena remarked, trying to lighten the mood. "What have I done this time?"

"El, listen," Gary said. "Sometimes, we have to make deals for peace."

"Yeah…"

"And, this time, that deal might involve you."

Eliena was silent. She didn't know what to say. "What does that mean?" she asked slowly.

Duke Gareth took a deep breath. "Eliena, Emperor Ozorne says that the only way he will have peace is if you marry Kaddar."

"_What_?" Eliena exploded. "Marry Kaddar? But, I can't! I'm the heir… oh, Goddess." She collapsed onto the couch and put her head on Numair's shoulder. "He wants Tortall, doesn't he?"

"Yes." The reply was simple, but the meaning was great.

"Father will never let me," Eliena said. "Even if I wanted to…"

"Eliena, the decision is ultimately yours. Ozorne has already sent word to your father about this. We expect notice from him within the week on your father's wishes," Thayet told her gently. "And Jonathan knows that not agreeing could mean war for Tortall."

"Which is exactly what we came here to avoid," Gary remarked. He sighed and put his hand on Eliena's back. "Listen, El, Thayet's right. _You_, not Jonathan, have the final say. Not even Alanna can get you out of this one. And there is no way to bow out without there being terrible repercussions. Even if Jonathan produced a quick arranged marriage, Ozorne could still threaten us with war. Eliena, if we want peace to go as planned, you _have _to marry him."

"I'm too young to marry," Eliena said simply.

"Tell that to George," Gary replied. "They marry as young as fourteen in the City."

"How d'you know?" Eliena asked.

"Alanna told me that he'd told that to her when she was fifteen," Gary explained. Eliena knew well that her uncle had once harbored intense feelings for her mother.

"But… I can't," Eliena whispered, looking to Numair. "I just can't." Numair kissed her nose.

"We know, Eli. We know this is hard. Thayet can go over some of the details, because she knows it better than I do," he replied. Then he smiled. "But think about it Eli. You'd have immense wealth, and Varice would help you. Maybe I could even stay here…"

"But everyone else would have to go back," she said. "And I'd never see mother or father. And the people of Tortall would be _livid_."

"Sometimes, we have to make sacrifices in the short time to do what's best in the long run," Duke Gareth told her. "Think it over carefully, Eliena. We don't want to make a rushed decision here."

Eliena took a deep breath. "How long do I have?"

"Two weeks," Thayet replied. "No more."

"I'll think it over," Eliena promised. She looked around at the people. "Carefully."

"That's my girl."

_**Author's Note- **I've been planning that FOREVER. Now, REVIEW._


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 

_Pros of marrying Kaddar_

_-Avoid war_

_-He's nice_

_-He's handsome_

_-I like him_

_-Money, people, land_

_-Numair said he'd stay_

_Cons of marrying Kaddar_

_-No more Daine, Gary, Uncle Gareth, Father, Mother, Thayet, Uncle George, Aunt Rose, Grandfather Myles, Grandfather Eleni, Leo, Neal…_

_-Tortallans mad about Tortall land part of Carthak_

_-War_

_-Related to Ozorne_

_-Trapped in Carthak (it's hot!)_

_-Slaves_

_-Less freedom_

_-Tied down at 15_

Eliena sighed. Making a list had gotten her nowhere. She pushed the paper aside and put her head on her desk.

"Why me?" she asked the empty room.

"Because you're Eliena," came a reply. Eliena sat up and turned to the doorway. Numair's tall, lanky frame was leaning against the frame. Eliena jumped to her feet.

"Numair! What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I know this must be hard for you," he replied, walking toward her. "I came to offer insight." Suddenly, Eliena was very aware of how she looked in her white nightshirt and purple dressing gown. She ran her fingers through her black hair nervously.

"Thanks," she said. Numair sat on her bed and patted the spot next to him.

"Come, sit." Eliena obeyed, moving robotically. "Now, what was that paper?"

"A list of the pros and cons to marrying Kaddar," Eliena replied, not looking at the mage.

"I see." Numair rose and retrieved the sheet. He looked it over and looked at Eliena. "Yours cons outweigh the pros."

"I know!" Eliena groaned, feeling more comfortable and falling back on the bed. "That's the _problem._ I _like_ Kaddar, but…"

"There are others you'd rather marry," Numair finished.

"Exactly." Eliena sighed and propped herself up on her elbows, looking at Numair. "What would my mother do?" The question was more to herself than to him.

"Whatever she wanted to," a voice replied from the door. Gary walked in and stood in front of her. "Eliena, your mother is one of a kind."

"No, because Eliena is just like her," Numair countered.

"No. Eliena has a level head on her shoulders, like Jonathan. Alanna can be… rash sometimes." Eliena grinned. How well she knew _that_!

"Now, Eliena. I think that you should-"

"Accept the offer and ask Kaddar to break it," Gary said. Numair looked at him.

"I was _going_ to say take more time, but your proposal works just as well," Numair told the man calmly. Eliena shook her head.

"Uh-uh. If I promise to marry Kaddar, I follow through. That's the way I was taught," she disagreed.

"And you were taught well." Gary smiled.

"You know, you really aren't helping," Eliena told the men with a smile. "So, could you leave? I'd like to have a decision ready by the time I get word from my parents." Gary nodded and kissed the top of her head.

"Be smart, El," he advised. Eliena nodded.

"Always am," she responded impishly. Gary left and she turned to Numair. "Your turn." Numair smiled.

"Think it over, Eli," he said, and suddenly became serious. "Love is important."

"Love has nothing to do with alliance marriages," she retorted.

He kissed her softly on the lips. "Love always has something to do with it." And he left, leaving Eliena with a _lot_ to think over.

As if the possible marriage wasn't enough!

_**Author's Note- **can anyone tell me if "leaving her with more to think about than just a possible marriage" sounds like anything you've read. It sounds VERY familiar. And I'm trying to watch my language, after that whole incident with the plagiarism of that girl in her book. Anyhow. Hides from DN fans don't kill me! Looks pointedly at **Pink Squishy Llama** that means YOU, Chelsea! REVIEW. (No flames)_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The word arrived from Jonathan and Alanna: _we trust whatever decision our daughter makes._ Eliena knew that the decision had come from long hours arguing from previous experiences with her parents. She sighed. Life would have been so much easier if they had said, "Eliena is to marry Kaddar" or "Eliena is not to marry Kaddar." Leaving it up to her was worse than telling her that she had to marry him!

_What do I have against marrying him anyway_? Eliena wondered, watching the handsome prince as he easily chatted with Lindhall and Numair. Numair glanced over at her with a smile and a wink. Eliena tensed. She hadn't forgotten that kiss he'd given her a mere week before. _Has it really been that long_? She only had two more days to make her choice about marrying Kaddar. He had told her in private that he felt terrible about it, but would marry her if she said yes. Eliena had told him that, while she liked him a lot, it was a hard choice to make in two weeks. Kaddar had agreed.

Eliena sighed and looked over at Daine and Thayet. She had been spending a lot of time with the women, and Varice, lately. They each gave insight: Thayet urged her to do it for the good of Tortall, Daine told her to make a careful choice, and Varice reminded her of the vast imperial wealth. When she'd spoken with Duke Gareth and Gary, they had said the same thing: "It would be better for Tortall if you did." Numair hadn't said anything since telling her love was important, and Lord Martin had made it _quite_ clear that he would disapprove of her even more if she turned it down. Thinking of all the pages, squires, knights, and other men that would be called upon to fight and killed if there were a war, Eliena sighed.

She knew her duty to her people, even if it conflicted with her duty to her heart. **_(A/N- total "Mulan 2" line.)_**

"Dinner is served," a herald announced. Everyone filed into the banquet hall. Ozorne sat at the head of the table and people filled their normal seats. Eliena was at Kaddar's right hand, with Daine across from her. Most of the delegation was nearer to the emperor. The first course was served almost immediately, and Eliena took a deep breath as Ozorne made the blessing. He followed it with a toast. As everyone sipped their drinks, Eliena rose.

"Your Imperial Majesty, might I make an announcement?" she asked loudly. Ozorne smiled.

"Of course, your highness," he replied.

Eliena drew in her breath and began: "Two weeks ago I was informed that there was an offer of marriage from his royal highness Prince Kaddar to me. I was given time to consider the offer. The two weeks are almost complete, and I have made my decision." A murmur went through the Tortallan delegation: "what's she doing?"

"Well?" Ozorne asked.

"I _accept_ the proposal," Eliena replied. She sat down, trying to slow down her racing heart. Ozorne was smiling.

"Well, then. A toast, to the new engagement between Princess Eliena of Conté and Prince Kaddar!"

"Cheers!"

Eliena couldn't say anything. Her face was buried in her hands, and she was crying softly.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"That was very brave," Thayet told Eliena later that night. Thayet was brushing Eliena's hair before bed. Eliena wiped her eyes. "I'm proud of you."

"Many people have said that to me lately. If it was brave and worthy of pride, then why am I so upset?" she wanted to know. Thayet smiled.

"Because it was a hard choice," the former princess replied. "If you had said no, it would have meant war. But, by accepting, you are betrothed to someone you don't love."

"I don't think I know what love is," Eliena admitted. "I've claimed to be in love, but I don't truly know what it is."

"Few do," Thayet explained. "Love is a difficult thing to find. Most people marry someone they like a lot, because they're certain they'll never find love."

"Do you love Raoul?"

"Yes." Thayet nodded.

"Does mother love father?"

"If I'm any judge, your parents are madly in love, and have been since they were young," Thayet replied. "But Gary would be a better judge of that, he's known them longer."

Eliena sighed. "I hope I can grow to love Kaddar."

Thayet began braiding Eliena's long curls. "Chances are that you will. From what I know, your mother and father started as friends and grew to love each other. Though, they weren't betrothed or married. That waited until _after_ they were in love."

"Could I never love Kaddar because I was forced into marriage?"

Thayet sighed. "Unfortunately, Eliena, yes. It's possible that you and Kaddar will end up loathing each other because this was forced on you so young. Or, the opposite could happen. You could fall madly in love with him and end up blissfully happy. It all depends on how he acts." Thayet was silent for a moment. "Is love important to you, Eli?"

Eliena hesitated before saying, "Yes. I don't see the point in marrying someone if you don't love them. Love involves trust, care, and its something earned. I think that you should marry someone who is worthy of your love, and your devotion. Is that wrong?" She turned to look at Thayet, who was smiling.

"No, Eli. That's exactly right," she replied. "And I wish you luck in finding it." She kissed Eli's head and got up to leave. "Sleep tight."

"Goodnight, Thayet."

"Goodnight, Eli."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Eliena tossed and turned, before sitting upright in bed. She needed to talk to Kaddar. _Immediately._ She climbed out of bed quietly and put on the midnight blue dress she'd worn the night before. She grabbed a black cloak, pulling it tightly around her. She remembered where Kaddar's rooms were- it wasn't that hard. She slipped her feet into black slippers and moved quickly and quietly.

"Eliena?" Kaddar whispered as he opened the door. "Do you know how much trouble you could get in for being here?"

"I need to talk to you," Eliena replied.

"All right…" Kaddar said, stepping aside. "But we're in a lot of danger." Once the door was shut, Eliena circled the room in violet fire to ward of listeners.

"No hello for your betrothed?" Eliena asked with a smile. "Just kidding. Listen, about this engagement…"

"You don't want to," Kaddar replied. Eliena nodded. "Understandable. But we can't break it now."

"Or can we?"

"What are you proposing?" asked Kaddar skeptically.

"_You_ break the engagement. Say that you weren't consulted and that you will never agree to any such thing. Send me home," she replied, a tinge of begging in her voice. "Kaddar, I like you, but I don't want to marry because I like someone. I want to _love_ someone. I want to be like my parents: insanely in love." Kaddar smiled.

"A romantic," he remarked.

"Thoroughly," she replied, grinning. Kaddar sighed.

"It will take some working… but I think I can manage that." Eliena stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, much to his surprise.

"Thank you, Kaddar. If you can't break it, I'd be lucky to marry you." Kaddar hugged her like you hug your best friend.

"I know what you mean."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Eliena was awakened by Numair's shout of "Daine's gone!" She jumped out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown. She went into the hall.

"What do you mean _gone_?" she demanded.

"Just what I said!" Numair replied. "Gone! Vanished!"

Eliena swore. "You're sure?"

"Kitten's even out." Numair nodded. Eliena swore again, more loudly this time. Duke Gareth heard.

"Eliena, watch your tongue," he warned.

"Uncle Gareth, Daine is _gone_," Eliena said. "Am I supposed to be a princess at a time like this?"

"You should _always_ be a princess, but I will forgive it this time," he replied. "How could she be _gone_?"

"Ozorne," Numair replied simply. "Daine left a note. She went to tend to the birds…"

"And Ozorne did something," Eliena finished. She called the emperor a series of rude names that a princess shouldn't know.

"Eliena," Duke Gareth snapped. "This probably has something to do with Kaddar breaking the engagement."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Eliena hissed.

"_Eliena_," the Duke said. "Stop right this instant."

"This is ridiculous!" Eliena cried. "Daine's gone, its _obviously_ Ozorne's fault, and he's going to say something like, 'if you ever want to see Daine again, Eliena will marry Kaddar'! Well, I won't stand for it! I'd rather fight a gods-cursed _war _than give in this time!"

"Don't be rash," Lord Martin snapped. "A war would be more costly than your pride!"

"Lord Martin, I have had _quite enough_ of you. You will watch your tone in my presence or you will find yourself in more trouble than you can imagine once we reach Corus. You will find _every possible _charge brought against you with most of Court against you. Chances are, against the heiress, you will end up on Traitor's Hill," Eliena told the lord of Persopolis, who was going very pale. "So I suggest buttoning that gaping _hole_ you call a mouth!"

"Eliena," Numair said gently, placing his hand on your shoulder. Eliena felt the magic and brushed his hand off.

"Get your hands off me, Numair Salmalín," she hissed. Numair removed his hand, eyes wide. "Now, what in Mithros's name are we going to do?"

"Nothing," Numair replied, somewhat sadly. "There's nothing we _can_ do. Ozorne is the _emperor_, Eliena. We're in Carthak, not Tortall."

"There must be _something_ we can do!" she exclaimed.

"Unfortunately, there isn't," Gary said. "We just have to wait it out."

"I can't settle for that," Eliena declared.

"Well, you had better," Duke Gareth told her firmly. "Because one false move could land you dead."

Eliena gulped.

_**Author's Note- **ooh, drama! So, anyway. I'm depressed. Ask why in your REVIEW._


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"We have to do something," Eliena told Kaddar. "I am _not_ going to sit around and wait for a ransom note. That's _it_." It had been two days since Daine had gone missing.

"Knowing uncle, he'll want you to marry me," Kaddar replied.

Eliena shuddered. "No offense, Kaddar, but… _no way_."

"I know how you feel." Kaddar grinned. "But didn't your Lord Martin say-"

"Stop right there," Eli interrupted. "Any sentence containing 'didn't you Lord Martin say' shouldn't be finished."

"You're terrible," Kaddar told her.

Eliena tossed her hair. "I know. Now. What are we going to do about-"

"_Eliena_!" Thayet called. She hurried over.

"What is it?" Eliena asked worriedly. Thayet handed her an official-looking parchment.

_By decree of His Most Serene Imperial Majesty Emperor Ozorne Muhassin of Carthak, _

_Master Numair Salmalín is to be executed for crimes against the Carthaki Empire, including, but not limited to, treason, violating pardon terms, and escaping prison sentence. _

"Oh, gods," Eliena breathed. "This is bad. _Very_ bad." Kaddar read it and frowned.

"And this." Thayet handed Eliena a much less official note:

_If you ever wish to see Veralidaine Sarrasri again, Princess Eliena of Conté will marry Kaddar Iliniat. _

"Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith!" Eliena cried, channeling Numair. "That-" Eliena went off into a slew of curses- "_emperor_ is really starting to bug me!"

"But what can we do?" Thayet asked. "Retaliating would be inviting war upon us."

"Fine!" Eliena replied. "I'd rather have a war than get married and give away my country!"

"This is no time to concern yourself with Tortall, Eli," Kaddar told her gently. "Your friend's _life_ is at stake." Eliena froze. Daine's _life_ was at stake? Could she kill Daine for Tortall without killing _herself_? But could she give away Tortall for the sake of one of her closest friends?

And how soon could she have an answer?

"Goddess help me," Eliena murmured. "What am I supposed to do? Daine will die if I say no, but my people would hate me if I say yes." She buried her face in her hands. "I wish I weren't me."

"Oh, no, Eli," Thayet said. "Never wish to be anything but you are." **_(A/N- that's from Thumbelina!)_** "Every princess has her moments when she wishes she weren't one. It comes with the title."

"Thayet, what am I supposed to do? If I say no, Daine will _die_. And if I say yes…" her voice drifted off. "Do you have any idea how upset mother would be? She might never speak to me again."

"Your mother would understand," Thayet assured her.

"And, Eliena, if you say yes, we might be able to save Numair," Kaddar put in. He blushed slightly. "Look, I know that I'm not your _first_ choice to marry, that you'd rather have love, but it wouldn't be a hardship. And we're friends, right? Think about it. You marry one friend to save two more."

_Marry one friend to save two more._ The prospect was enticing. But, still. Alanna would be so upset. She was strong, and Eliena wanted to be like her. Her mother wouldn't just agree, she'd _fight_ to save Daine and Numair. But, no matter what Eliena wanted, she _wasn't _the Lioness and she had a duty to two separate, conflicting things.

She drew in a deep breath. "So, Kaddar. When should we set a date?"

_**Author's Note- **oh! I UPDATED! Oh yeah! Anyway. I'll try to get back into the story and write more ASAP. Now, REVIEW. And check out my new fic, **Fears, Truths, and Loves**, which is like "Always." _


	18. Chapter 18

_**Dedication- **this chappie is dedicated to **Abiona Marchand**. One, cause she's a super faithful reviewer, even when her Inbox is crowded with updates. And cause she's so darn cool. You rock-es my sock-es, Molly!_

**Chapter 18**

Eliena stood outside some special Ozorne-only room, anxiously smoothing her butter-colored skirt. She was all dressed for dinner, in a simple, yet beautiful, dinner gown. There was no showy skirt or anything, as it was for dinner. The dress was cut in a day dress style, but it was slightly lower cut and had different sleeves. The sleeves were attached at her shoulder and wrist, but the rest was open and balloon-y. It was very nice for the heat.

She could hear voices inside the room. Kaddar was telling Ozorne that Eliena had agreed to the marriage and that it could be announced that evening at dinner. He had also promised to bring up the release of both Numair and Daine, though Eliena wasn't holding her breath for the former. She knew from stories she had heard that Ozorne was not exactly a reasonable person. It was quite possible that he wasn't human, from all the stories.

The door opened and Kaddar walked out. "Well?" Eliena asked nervously. He smiled slightly.

"It's being announced at dinner," he replied. "And said that we will discuss the release of Numair. He will 'talk' to Daine's kidnappers." Eliena nodded. If that was the best she could do, then so be it. "Now, shall we?" He offered her his arm and Eliena took it with a deep breath. _Breathe, Eli_, she told herself. _You'll live. You can do this. You are a princess, by the Goddess!_ Suddenly, she wished her parents were there. And that she had never come to Carthak.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Eli!" Daine whispered. Eliena sat up and grinned.

"Daine! You're back!" she stage whispered. Daine nodded. She went and sat beside Eliena.

"Where's Numair?" she asked.

Eliena's face fell. "He was arrested. For crimes against Carthak." Daine's eyes widened.

"He was _what?"_ she demanded.

"He's going to be executed," Eliena replied softly.

"Oh, Goddess!" Daine exclaimed, hand flying to her mouth. "No!"

"I know," Eliena said.

"We can't let it happen, Eli! We can't…" her voice drifted off as she looked at Eliena. "What's wrong?"

"I'm engaged, Daine," Eliena whispered.

"_What_?"

"To Kaddar. It was the only way you'd be let go. And I may save Numair by doing it."

"Eli, you can't! What about Neal? And Leo? And Tortall?"

"War would cause a lot more damage than my marriage will, Daine. And, besides, I may save two friends to marry one." She smiled, but it was weak and sad.

"Oh, Eli," Daine said, her eyes filling. "You can't."

"I thought about it, Daine, I did," Eliena insisted. "I thought about my family's reaction, and then about what was best for my country. And this was it."

"Oh, Eli." The girls hugged, and cried into each other's shoulder. "You're brave, Eli. You really are."

"Sometimes I wish I weren't," Eliena confided. "I wish I had never come. Then this wouldn't have happened."

"It would have anyway," Daine told her. "You'd just find out about it later, and be in Tortall when you found out."

"But we could avoid it by having me marry quickly," Eliena reminded her.

"Your parents would never agree to that and you know it," Daine said.

"That's true." Eliena laughed hollowly. "But, still."

"I know." They were quiet and Eliena's eyes filled again.

"I wish I'd never been born." The tears slid down her face and she buried her head in her pillow.

"Oh, Eli, no!" Daine cried. "What would I do without you here? I would be so bored without you, Eli, I really would. And life would be much less interesting for everyone." Daine hugged Eliena. "And, besides, then this would all be on Lianne. Or a princess who wasn't born because you were."

"I know, Daine, I know, but I don't want to go through with this! You're safe now, and Ozorne will never let Numair go… Now that you're safe, I may as well ship back to Tortall and have mother and father do damage control."

"No," Daine said sternly. "No. You're not laying this on your parents. You know what your mother says. Once you make a promise, you have to stick with it, even if it's the last thing you want to do."

Eliena sighed. "You're right."

"Well, it has to be my turn sometime!" The girl erupted in giggles, but there was a hesitancy. Something had changed, and it was something big.

Something life changing.

_**Author's Note- **we shall see what happens now, shan't we? I expect it to be dramatic, but even I can't predict what my brain will come up with and my fingers will produce!_

_Oh. If you want to read my AJ sonnet or get a copy of the story I was gonna publish, say so in your review. For the former, I'll post it in the next update. For the latter, tell me to send it to your email, and I'll attach it. REVIEW! _


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 

_Dear Leo-_

_I'm engaged._

_-Eliena_

Leo stared at the note in awe. Eliena, _engaged_? How could she be engaged? Hadn't he heard something about her breaking the engagement with Prince Kaddar? What had happened to that? Someone knocked on his door.

"Come in!"

Neal burst in. "Did you get one of these?" he demanded, waving the note in Leo's face. Leo grabbed it.

_Dear Neal-_

_I'm engaged. _

_-Eliena_

"Yes," Leo replied, showing Neal his note.

"The queen is not going to be happy," Neal remarked.

"Wonderful," Leo grumbled. As Jonathan's squire, he often had to deal with Alanna. And he knew from years of acquaintance with the knight-queen that when Alanna was mad, you were best off staying _far away._

"What can we do?" Neal asked. "We can't let her marry some dolled-up prince! Especially not a _Carthaki_." Neal knew Leo's crush on Eli, just as Leo knew Neal's crush on her.

"Maybe she likes him," Leo suggested. "Maybe he's not all that bad."

"Leo," Neal said, "if Eliena liked him, she would talk about him _endlessly_. Obviously, there's something going on that she's not saying."

"_Obviously_," Leo replied sarcastically.

"You listen here, Leo. I'm going to Carthak to rescue Eli, and you're coming along, got it?" Neal bullied.

"No need to ask me twice," Leo told him. "I'm all for playing 'knight in shining armor', especially when Eli and Daine are involved."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Your Majesty?" Leo asked, knocking on Jonathan's study door.

"Come in." Leo and Neal walked into the study, and saw Alanna seated beside Jonathan, steam practically coming from her ears.

"I assume you heard," Leo remarked.

"Of course we did," Alanna snapped.

"Alanna." Jonathan gave his wife a stern look. "Yes, Leo, we did hear."

"Neal came up with a plan I think is very good," Leo said.

"What does this 'plan' entail?" Alanna asked curiously, eying the crafty Neal. "If Neal came up with it, I can almost say for certain that it's… interesting."

"If Eliena liked this prince, she'd be rambling on and about. But, she didn't. There is obviously something wrong. So, Leo and I are going to Carthak to save her," Neal explained.

"_Brilliant_!" Alanna cried. "Jonathan, if this is what that no-good conservative Wyldon is teaching them these days, he deserves some credit! This is brilliant!"

"Alanna," Jonathan said with a sigh. "It is _not_ brilliant. In fact, it is quite dangerous. If either of you were to be hurt, it would be on _me_."

"So send someone… or someone_s_ with us," Leo suggested. "Alanna could come, father, mother, there are many people…"

"No," Jon said definitively. "Absolutely not. I forbid it."

"Oh, Jonathan. You're getting so tough," Alanna told him. "Let the boys go after Eli. They're right you know. You know how Eli gets when she likes someone." Alanna let that sink in before continuing, "I think that they should go, and if they get hurt its their faults. Myles and George would be thrilled to help out somehow…"

"Alanna, really," Jon said. "You're not being practical."

"Since when have I _ever_ been practical?"

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Eliena and Daine sat on Eliena's bed, not speaking, hands clasped together and knuckles turning white.

"Do you think its over?" Daine whispered.

"I hope so." Tears came into the girls' eyes.

Eliena hadn't been able to save Numair. And it killed her. They had decided not to watch him die, opting instead to stay in Eliena's room. Daine wished she'd had a chance to say a last goodbye before…

"I can't believe he's gone!" Daine cried. The girls turned to each other and sobbed.

"He can't be," Eliena whispered. "He can't be. Oh, Goddess, please, don't let it be true."

"Girls?" Thayet asked softly, poking her head in. "Oh, girls." She came over and sat by them, engulfing the crying friends in a hug. "Shh, its all right, shh."

"Is he…" Daine swallowed. "Dead?"

"Yes," Thayet replied. "He is." Tears filled her in hazel eyes and the three women cried together.

"I wish he were still here," Eliena whispered. "I wish that stupid Ozorne hadn't killed him."

"Don't call him stupid, he's going to be your uncle," Thayet said.

"I don't care. I may as well break the stupid engagement again and just go home! Daine's back and Numair's dead. There's nothing else I can do!" Eliena exclaimed, falling face first into her pillow. Daine suddenly became mad.

"Why do you have to make this all about you, Eliena?" she asked. Eliena sat up and looked at her friend with wide violet eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean it! Everything _always_ ends up revolving around you. Well guess what, El, not everything in this world is about Eliena! If Numair were still here, he'd want you to marry Kaddar and go through with it and you know it. Just because you could save him doesn't mean there isn't other good deeds you can do. Why are we even _talking _about you? This is about _Numair_. In case you didn't remember, Eliena, he was just _killed_."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Eliena snapped. "Not everything is about me, Daine, and I don't pretend it is. I _hate_ that it's that way in Tortall, so why would I act that way here? I may be a princess, Veralidaine Sarrasri, but I sure don't act like one!" She paused momentarily. "And, besides, what would _you_ know about it anyway? You think you're so special, with your wild magic? News flash, Daine: you may _seem_ important, but at the end of the day, you're just a bastard from a nowhere mountain village in Galla who got lucky."

"Eliena!" Thayet exclaimed. "That was rude."

"I don't care anymore," Eliena said. "I don't care about what's 'right' and 'wrong.' My mother never did, and its time I didn't either. Screw all of it, I just want to be a normal person." She looked at Daine. "You hate being a commoner, but you have everything I want, Daine."

"You just said that I'm a _bastard_, Eliena, and now you're saying I have everything you want? You confuse me." Daine shook her head, anger subsiding.

"I would rather be a bastard than a princess."

"Trust me, Eliena, you don't."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Thanks to Thom, Neal and Leo were able to take a fast ship to Carthak and get into the capital undetected. It was a small miracle that none of the mages had caught them, but it was a miracle they were willing to accept.

Leo followed his Sight to Eliena, and knocked on the door. "Come in!" she called. The boys smiled at each other. They had missed that voice!

"Hello, Eliena," Neal greeted. Eliena whipped around, eyes wide.

"Neal? Leo?" she asked, getting to her feet and walking to them. "Is it really you?"

"No, Eli," Leo replied sarcastically. "We're those simula-things that Numair makes." Eliena stuck out her tongue and threw her arms around her friends.

"Simulacrum. I missed you! Wait." She looked at them skeptically. "What are you doing here?"

"We've come to rescue you from marriage," Neal replied, puffing out his chest. "Because it is obviously the last thing you want."

"Have you been crying?" Leo asked, noticing the red rims around her pretty violet eyes.

"Yes," Eliena replied. "But it's no big deal." She put her hand to her heart and pretended to swoon. "You've come to save little old me? Oh, you're so _brave_!" She collapsed into Neal's chest and Leo felt a touch of jealousy. She suddenly straightened and her eyes filled. "Numair's gone."

"What?" Neal asked. "What do you mean 'gone'?"

"They've killed him," Eliena replied. "For crimes again Carthak. Now that Daine's safe-I'll explain later- all I want to do is go home. I couldn't save Numair, and now the marriage is pointless." She looked at them hopefully. "_Please_ tell me you'll take me home."

"Of course," Leo said, hugging her and kissing the top of her head. "Of course we'll take you home, El."

She looked up at him, eyes dancing. "Since when were you taller than me?"

_**Author's Note- **hm. Is anyone suspicious of what could be coming? REVIEW._


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

_Home_. The prospect of just going home was enticing to Eliena. She wanted nothing more than to return to Tortall and pretend nothing had happened in Carthak. Go on acting the way she always had, flitting about, flirting… But deep down she knew that she had been through too much to just go back to the way she had been. She was fifteen, but felt much older from her experiences.

"Are you sure?" Neal asked, holding her hands and eyes.

"Yes. I'm sure," she replied.

"Are you _positive_ we can't stay?" Leo asked.

Eliena laughed. "_Yes_! Listen, we'll be fine. I promise." She kissed both their cheeks. "I'll see you when I get home… hopefully not engaged." She grinned. "Then, if the Goddess smiles on you, maybe the two of you would have a fraction of a chance!"

"Eli." Leo shook his head. "She'll never change."

"Do we want her to?" Neal asked, watching Eliena walk off.

"No," Leo replied, watching her, "I don't think we do."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"I don't think Numair is dead," Eliena confided to Daine that night.

Daine looked at Eliena like she was crazy. "Are you nuts? _They watched him die,_ Eliena. He's dead." Eliena bit her lip thoughtfully.

"But remember how he made those simulacrum things? Well, couldn't he make one to die _for_ him? He could be hiding, you know," Eliena remarked.

"I think you're crazy," Daine replied. "The desert air is getting to you. Have you been drinking enough?"

"No, Daine, I'm serious. Numair is good at that, remember. Don't you remember that he's _spectacular_ at sleight of hand?"

"This is more than sleight of hand, Eli. You're talking making everyone think you're dead when you actually used a simulacrum and you're in _hiding_."

"Well, if you say it _that_ way…"

"Eliena, just stop. You're going to make me cry," Daine said. Eliena sighed.

"I still think he's alive."

"Well, optimism is always good."

"This is more than optimism- you know I'm pessimistic." Eliena looked off into the distance. "I don't know how to explain it, Daine. Its like… its like I can _feel_ him."

"_Feel_ him? What do you mean?"

"Like, I can feel the strength of his magic or something. I don't know. What I _do_ know is that there's something that tells me he _isn't_ gone."

"You're mad."

"Daine."

Daine sighed. "Explain."

"OK. Whenever Numair or Thom or mother or father is close, there's this… _presence_, I guess. I can _feel_ their magic in me. Its very strange sounding, I know, but its how I know when to stop doing something, because I feel one of them coming. The same thing happens with you… sometimes, and Neal, Uncle George, Aunt Rose, and Leo too."

Daine shuddered. "That sounds scary."

"It was, at first. Then I learned what it was and I learned to use it to my advantage." Eliena smiled evilly. "I always know when to stop misbehaving because someone is coming."

"You're horrible."

"Thanks, I know." Eliena tossed her hair.

"Is it too risky to try to contact someone?" Daine wondered aloud.

"Daine, the palace is _crawling_ with mages. No. We should see that Lindhall guy. He was Numair's go-to man, and I'm sure _he'll_ know something!"

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Daine and Eliena stood outside Lindhall's office, with Kaddar behind them.

"You sure you want to do this?" Kaddar asked.

Eliena nodded. Then she turned her ear to the door. "Wait a second. Are those voices?" The three listened closely. They _were_ voices. The words were unintelligible, but they knew that there were _definitely _voices. "I'm going to open the door." Eliena turned the knob and swung open the door.

Daine and Eliena gasped in shock. "_Numair_!"

_**Author's Note- **can you say DRAMA? OK, my email is being funky. Like, REALLY funky. So, I dunno whether or not I'll get your reviews on my email or not. For some reason, I'm not receiving emails from people. I'm "over quota" or something, but I deleted all my messages. Strange. Anyway. I saw TARZAN on Broadway. All I can say is that Tarzan is HOTT. Check out my profile for a look. REVIEW. (Though I may not get it!)_


	21. Chapter 21

_**Dedication and Recommendation: **the moment you finish reading this chapter, go read the **Alanna22039** story **Forever and For Always**, because that is how an AJ fic (in my personal opinion) is supposed to be written. This chapter is dedicated to **Alanna22039** for her review on the last chapter, and for the amazing read! _

_**Oh and: **hey **MOLLY (Abiona Marchand)**, I lied. I'm updating before you do. _

**Chapter 21**

"_Numair!_" Daine and Eliena cried again.

"Shh! Keep it _down_!" Numair hissed. He shut the door.

"Is it really you?" Eliena asked, reaching out to touch Numair's hand. When she felt his skin, her hand flew off like it was burning hot. Her violet eyes were wide with disbelief. "It _is_!"

"Of _course_ its me, Eliena," Numair said. "Who _else_ would it be?"

"You were _right_!" Daine told Eliena breathlessly. "He _is_ alive!"

"Wait, you _knew_?" Numair and Lindhall asked together. Eliena nodded, cheeks rosy. (_She looks so pretty_, Numair thought.)

"I had this…_feeling_," Eliena replied. "Its almost like I can feel your Gift… it happens with mother, father, Duke Baird, Uncle Thom… all of them. I don't know how to describe it."

"You can feel my Gift?" Numair's eyes lit up in the way that they always did when he was excited at the prospect of something intellectual. "You can feel my Gift!"

"Yes… that's what I said…" Eliena said, confused.

"_You_ can feel _my_ Gift!" Numair repeated.

"I believe we established that, Numair," Eliena told him.

"You can feel my Gift!" Numair crowed.

"All right, repeating yourself time is _over_ Numair. Tell me what you mean!" Eli ordered in her special I'm-the-princess-and-you-have-to-do-what-I-say-even-if-I'm-rude voice that she often used when she was aggravated. It was a royal order, but a lax one.

"Eli, if you can feel my Gift, and your parents', and Duke Baird's, and whoever else's you can feel, it means that you have a stronger Gift than we imagined. What does it feel like?" Numair asked anxiously.

"I don't know… like a… _presence_ I guess. Almost like a… I don't know… feeling that there's something else inside of me… I don't really know how to describe it…" Eliena replied, almost mumbling.

"Is it heat?" Lindhall asked.

"Kind of," Eliena replied.

"Is it like how I feel when immortals are near?" Daine asked. "Like there's something else in your mind? For me I hear their sound."

"Yeah, kind of, only I can sort of see the color of their Gift and feel the heat of the flame," Eliena replied, closing her eyes. "Yeah, that's it. I can see the color and feel the heat."

"Are you feeling it right now?" Numair asked. Eliena nodded.

"Mm hm," she replied. "Yours is black and sparkling, and Daine's is coppery."

"What about Lindhall's?" Numair asked.

"I can't see his," Eliena answered. "Only yours and Daine's."

"So its people who you're close to…" Lindhall mused. "That's funny. That only usually happens when they're blood related."

"Like mother and Uncle Thom," Eliena supplied.

"Are they related?" Lindhall asked.

"Twins," Daine, Numair, and Eliena chorused.

"Who else can you feel?" Numair asked. "When they're near, I mean."

"Uncle Gareth, Uncle George… um… and sometimes even the Gifted pages or servants," Eliena replied.

"Tortallans?" Daine guessed. "She can feel the magic of Tortallans?"

"But you aren't Tortallan," Numair reminded the girl.

Daine nodded. "Right. But maybe my da was…"

"Numair isn't Tortallan," Lindhall told her.

"A tiny bit. My several-times-great-grandfather was," Numair corrected.

"But we've never heard of this before," Lindhall remarked. "Usually only when one is blood related can they feel the presence of someone else Gifted. She can feel anyone with Tortallan blood."

Eliena's violet eyes fluttered open. "Could it be the Jewel?" she asked, looking at the mages. "We have the Jewel. It ties father to the land, could it work the same way for me?"

"But your father can't feel Gifted Tortallans," Numair said.

"Maybe it works differently on me, cause I'm a girl," Eliena suggested.

Lindhall shook his head. "No, that couldn't be it. We know much about the Jewel. It always works the same way."

"Mother!" Eliena cried. "And father! They're both Bazhir! Father's the Voice of the Tribes, too! Could it be the ancient Bazhir magic, because I have double?"

"Possibly…" Lindhall replied. "We know very little about the magic of the Bazhir."

"But, again, neither of her parents get this," Numair said.

"Must you always be a spoil sport?" Eliena asked him, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him.

Numair copied her. "Yes." She stuck her tongue out at him and he returned the gesture.

"Stop it," Lindhall commanded. "We need to figure out what this is."

"I agree with Eliena that its Bazhir… but only because it's the only thing that seems to make sense," Daine put in.

"And I've been told several times that there were _plenty_ of Bazhir at my birth," Eliena said.

Numair sighed. "If only we could contact your parents without being caught…"

"I think I can manage something short with your help, Numair," Lindhall said. The two of them whispered to each other and came up with a spell to guard them against all magic- sight, hearing, etc. The fire circled the room and Eliena pictured her parents, throwing a flame into Lindhall's fireplace.

"Why you have a fireplace in this heat I'll never know," Numair grumbled.

Alanna and Jonathan's faces appeared. "Eli? What is it?" Jonathan asked.

"Is there some kind of Bazhir spell on me that makes me feel anyone with a drop of Tortallan blood in them?" Eliena demanded. "I want to know and I want to know _now_."

Alanna exchanged a look with her husband. "Eli…"

"_Right now_," she said sternly.

Jonathan drew in his breath and released it slowly. "Should we tell her, Alanna?"

"Do you hear her? She's getting like me. We had better," the queen replied. Jonathan nodded.

"You're right. OK, Eliena. Listen closely…"

_**The story**_

_When I was becoming the Voice of the Tribes, Ali Mukhtab, my predecessor, told me that if I married my true love, my heir would be a girl. And that it was my duty as the Voice and as the King of Tortall to be sure that she would know all Gifted people with any Tortallan blood in them to allow our country to be safe. He did not elaborate, and the spell was in the back of my head. _

_When you were born, Eliena, the spell came back to memory. During the Moment of the Voice the evening of your birth, I told my people that I would have to use some of their magic to help me. They all accepted, because you are the daughter of Bazhir legends, and they trusted me. I tapped their magic and placed the spell on you that night. _

_**End story**_

"Whoa," Eliena breathed- not only because of the story but because of the sound in her father's voice.

Jonathan's voice was usually a midrange baritone- deep, rich, and clear. Eliena always loved his voice- especially his laugh. But when he told her the story, his voice deepened almost to the bass range. It rumbled like thunder, rushed like whitewater, and _whoosh_ed like the wind. It was a powerful, ethereal voice that Eliena imagined was what a god might sound like- one of the Great Gods. When her mother had described the Great Mother Goddess's voice, she compared it to the sound of wolves.

"Exactly. _Whoa_," Alanna said. "If it caused you any trouble-"

"None," Eliena replied. "I was… confused. See, we all thought-"

"Eliena, we have to go. The spell is going to break any second," Numair told her.

"Spell?" Alanna asked. "What's wrong?"

"Lots of mages around here to listen in. Must go now. I love you both and I'm perfectly fine. Love you!"

"Eliena!" Jonathan called, but he was gone.

"That was powerful," Daine said, shivering. "I never knew a mortal could sound like that."

"Me either," Eliena remarked.

"Now that we understand, we have to turn to the situation at hand," Numair said. He looked at the girls seriously. "Carthak has lost favor with the gods- or Ozorne has. We are in grave danger even _being_ here." He looked at Eliena. "_Especially_ you."

_**Author's Note- **OK, bad ending, but whatever. Now, go read that story I told you about at the beginning. And, **MOLLY (Abiona Marchand)**, UPDATE SOON. Now, everyone click that little button and REVIEW._


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"Hold up, _what_?" Eliena asked. "What do you mean we're in danger _being_ here?"

"As I said, Carthak has lost favor with the Gods. We fear that something terrible is going to happen. Lindhall and I both feel the mounting doom," Numair replied.

"You sure it isn't just the impending marriage?" Eliena asked, grinning at Kaddar, who had been silent through most of it.

"Yes," Numair snapped. Daine gave a low whistle and Eliena stepped back. Numair rarely lost his temper over _anything_. _It's the stress_, Eliena reasoned. But a voice in the back of her head told her that it was something more- Numair liked her. As more than just his student and friend.

"Relax, Numair. I was just _teasing_," Eliena said lightly.

"This is no time for teasing," Numair told her seriously.

"No, you're just too tightly wound at the moment. Take a deep breath and _relax_," Eliena retorted.

"_Too tightly wound_… what in the name of the Goddess are you talking about?" Numair demanded.

"I think you know," Eliena shot back, narrowing her fiery violet eyes. "Or shall I rehash the entire conversation before _everyone_?"

"What do you mean?" Numair asked.

"This!" Eliena called to mind the conversation before Numair had kissed her. It was a trick Thom had showed her. She cemented the memory and pressed her hands together. When she felt the heat of her Gift, she pulled her hands apart, forming a ball of fire. There was an image and everyone could see and hear it.

_Eliena turned to Numair who sat beside her on the bed. "Your turn." Numair smiled. _

_"Think it over, Eli," he said, and suddenly became serious. "Love is important."_

_  
"Love has nothing to do with alliance marriages," she retorted._

_He kissed her softly on the lips. "Love always has something to do with it."_

The fire disappeared and Numair's eyes were wide. Kaddar was gaping, Lindhall looked shocked, and Daine looked… was that _hurt_?

"Where did you learn that?" Numair asked breathlessly.

"Thom," Eliena replied.

"Did that really happen?" Kaddar asked. He turned to Numair, eyes flaming. "When?"

"Relax, Kaddar," Eliena told him. "It was _before_ any of the marriage stuff. The _first_ time actually." She couldn't help but wonder why Kaddar cared so much about the kiss.

"Numair…" Daine whispered. Numair looked at her. She seemed to grow bolder and looked at him, blue-gray eyes burning in a way Eliena had never seen before. "You're a sick, perverted man!" Everyone gaped at Daine. She _never_ spoke like that. "Eliena is _fifteen_ and you're almost _forty!" _She clenched her fists. "_What_ were you _thinking_?"

"I…" Numair didn't finish the sentence. Eliena didn't want him to.

"Listen, whatever is going on in Carthak needs to be stopped. Or started. Whatever. We need to _do_ something." She turned to Lindhall. "What do you propose?"

"I'm not sure… what I know is that-" he lowered his voice, "_Ozorne_ needs to be taken off of the throne."

"He'll never do it," Kaddar said, keeping his voice low. "He'll _die_ before he gives up that throne."

"And are you ready to become emperor?" Eliena asked, looking at Kaddar. Kaddar bit his lip.

"Are you ready to become empress?" he questioned in reply. Eliena's eyes grew wide and she shook her head.

"No." She sighed. "Then what can we _do_?"

"You said he'd _die_ before giving up the throne?" Daine asked. Everyone looked at her.

"Yes…" Kaddar replied. She looked up at everyone, eyes shining.

"Then I say we do it."

"_What!_" Numair and Eliena gasped. Daine _never_ spoke like this! She turned to Eliena.

"Look, Leo and Neal haven't left. They're hiding. Trust me, they'll help. And I'm sure we could gather others… I bet Rikash would help. Oh, don't make that face Numair. He's been on our side since he found out Ozorne was holding those Stormwings." No one said anything. "Odds bobs, someone say _something_!"

"I think that's _brilliant_!" Eliena said. "Leo and Neal, gathering people, Stormwings…" She gasped. "Rikash gave that Stormwing feather to Ozorne. If we could get him to use it…"

"He would become a Stormwing." Daine grinned. "And no immortal can hold a mortal throne."

"Kaddar would become emperor…" Eliena started

"And we could all go home!" Daine finished happily.

"You're forgetting something, girls," Numair remarked.

"What's that?" Daine asked.

"If Kaddar is emperor, Eliena becomes empress," Numair replied. Eliena and Kaddar exchanged a look. "And I don't think that's what Eli wants, is it?"

"Don't assume," Eliena snapped. "Maybe it is! I _hate_ being told what I think! My mother and I _both_ do!" Eliena looked at Kaddar. "Kaddar, if you're emperor can't you say that a marriage isn't necessary for peace?"

"In theory…" Kaddar replied.

"Why only in theory?" Eliena wanted to know.

"Well, people might expect me to uphold Ozorne's statement," Kaddar replied. "And who knows what trouble we could get into?"

"Oh." Eliena slumped. "But… what if you just did it? Would that be so bad?"

"What do you mean?" Kaddar asked.

"I mean don't worry about the consequences, just _do_ it," Eliena replied. "Don't think and just act out on a limb. Not what everyone _wants_ you to do but what _you_ know is right." She suddenly looked diagonally to the floor and drew in a sharp breath. Her mouth still open, one side of her mouth turned up slightly and she looked up. "I should take my own advice." She pushed her hair behind her ears. "I say we just go to Ozorne when he's sleeping and cut him with the feather. He'd never know what hit him!"

"One problem," Lindhall said. "Ozorne is surrounded by guards _and_ has magical shields." Eliena swore.

"What was it Rikash told Ozorne when Rikash gave Ozorne the feather?" Numair asked.

"Something about 'whenever you are in peril of life or throne, thrust this into your flesh and you'll fly away like you have steel wings and you'll never go to the realm of the Black God,'" Eliena replied. "Wait… _peril of life or throne_…" She looked at Numair, a smile playing at her lips. "Numair, is there anyway we can make Ozorne _think_ he is very sick while using magic? I'm talking _about to die_ sick."

"I suppose… why?" Numair questioned. "What's going on in that mind of yours."

Eliena smiled wickedly. "If Ozorne thinks disease is going to kill him, he'll use that feather." She paused. "And become a Stormwing."

_**Author's Note- **yay! I updated this one! I'll write a few more chapters… this is going to come out more I think. I'm home almost all summer anyway! REVIEW._


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Numair picked Eliena up and spun her around. "Eliena, you're a _genius_!" Eliena grinned.

"I know," she said with a toss of her silky black mane. "It runs in the family."

Before anyone knew what was happening, Numair had pressed his lips to Eliena's and was kissing her. Eliena didn't pull away, she just let it happen. And she kissed him back, she wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back, thinking about what she'd said: _do what you know is right, and don't think about what anyone else has to say._

Eliena didn't know how long she had been kissing Numair when they pulled apart. "Oh, Goddess," she breathed. What had she done? Kaddar looked disgusted, Daine was nowhere to be seen, and Lindhall's face was unreadable. "Oh…" She swore loudly. It wasn't only because of the reactions of others in the room. It was also because she'd found she'd _enjoyed_ it.

"Eliena…" Numair said, reaching out to her. Eliena looked at Kaddar.

"Kaddar, I-" Kaddar raised his hand and cut her off.

"Save it, Eliena. If you had seen the _look_ on Daine's face…" He shook his head. "She looked hurt, abandoned… How could you do that to your best friend?" Kaddar left the room.

"Do you hate me too?" Eliena asked Lindhall. He smiled at Eliena and Numair.

"If you truly like each other that much, there is little anyone can do," he replied. "But, there are doubtlessly already rumors that Numair has taken… advantage of both you and Daine, Eliena." Eliena nodded- she'd heard them many times. "And do you really want to prove them right?"

Eliena's jaw dropped. Numair wasn't _taking advantage_ of her! She'd kissed him back, by Mithros! How could _anyone_ think that Numair would _ever_ take advantage of her age or her innocence? She would set them straight. Numair didn't deserve such a reputation, and neither did she! In the name of the Goddess, she was the _heiress_ to Tortall! No one could speak ill of her and get away with it! And no one would _ever_ get away with what had been suggested! _**(AN- **hey **MSB**: exclamation points are our friend!_

"I'll correct anyone who _dares_ to say that!" Eliena hissed, violet fire forming in her hand and eyes blazing.

"Eli." Numair put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't." She looked up at him and noticed, with a start, that there was something behind his dark eyes.

It was love. The same thing that she saw in her father's eyes when he looked at her mother, or when Gary looked at Cythera, Raoul at Thayet, George at Rose.

She put her hand tenderly on his cheek. "Numair… I-" She blushed a deep crimson. "Thank you."

"For what?" Numair asked softly.

"For everything," she replied, putting her head against his chest. "And if we die doing what we're doing, I just want to do this." She kissed him softly. "I'm sorry for getting upset with you." He cupped her face and kissed her.

"Its all right, Eliena. Don't worry about it." He brushed black hair from her eyes. "You had a right to."

_**(AN- **excuse the Numair/Eliena fluff. I needed to write SOME fluff! I have fluff deprivation for my stories. Its very sad._

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Eliena stumbled into her rooms, giggling. Numair had followed her back- risking being discovered. He had kept her laughing and smiling all the way back. She stood just inside her dark room, leaning on the door. She felt like she'd had a few too many glasses of wine.

"Shh, we don't want to wake Daine," Numair whispered, putting his finger to his lips.

"Oh, right." Eliena giggled again. "You had better get back. I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Oh, all right." Numair smiled evilly. "One more kiss before I go?"

"Oh, you!" Eliena kissed him. "Happy?"

"Very. Sweet dreams, Eli." He kissed her hand and vanished into the darkness. Eliena shut her door and fell back against it with a sigh.

"Well." Eliena's eyes widened as she searched the room for the source of the voice.

"Who's there?" she asked. She called up her Gift, lighting the room in a violet blaze. She gasped as she saw Leo and Neal sitting on her bed. "Leo! Neal!"

"Leo, Neal indeed," Neal harrumphed. "Obviously, you don't care about us."

"What? How could you say that?" Eliena asked.

"Daine told us that you had kissed Numair, but we didn't believe her," Leo replied. "But now…"

"Leo!" Eliena cried. She sat on her bed and lit the candles with her Gift. "How could either of you think… oh, no. I don't… I don't _love_ him!"

"You _act_ like it," Neal informed her.

"No," Eliena said. She put a hand to Neal's cheek and Leo's. "All girls-and boys-" she smiled at Neal, "-are allowed to have little romances. My mother had my father, and _yours_, Leo. That's all it is. A girlish romance. I don't love him, I don't want to spend the rest of my _life_ with him!"

"Tell _him_ that," a voice remarked. Kaddar stepped out from the shadows. "Because it looks to me like Numair likes you more than you like him."

Eliena sighed. "OK, I now have _three_ men in my room." She rolled her eyes. "Should I feel lucky or cursed? Please, just get off my case." She looked at the three gathered in her room. "You _know_ me." She looked meaningfully at Leo, who knew her the best. "You know what I'm like. I'm… flirty at times." She looked at Neal. "Who isn't? Until I find the _one_ man I want to spend the rest of my life with, I'm perfectly happy with having little romances here or there to test it."

"Do you know how _shallow_ you just sounded?" Leo asked. He shook his head. "This isn't the Eli I know."

"I've _always_ been shallow, Leo. You know that," Eliena replied.

"Your mother wouldn't have done this," Leo murmured. Eliena's eyes blazed and she looked at Leo.

"Don't you _dare_ bring my mother into this, Leonard of Pirate's Swoop. I live _my_ life, _not_ hers. If you haven't noticed, my mother and I are _very_ different people," Eliena said harshly. Leo looked up at her, eyes matching hers in anger.

"You know, El, you and your mother aren't that different. You're both stubborn and quick-tempered. Remember, I _know_ your mother, Eliena. You both have your pride, and won't let tell you what to do. You're too independent for your own good and you never know when to let love in. No matter what you've done, you won't let anything tarnish your reputation. That's where your_ different_, Eliena. Your mother _knew_ her reputation and didn't care. So long as no one made negative comments about it, she was fine. _You_, on the other hand, have no idea how other people see you. You're so worried about _how_ others see you that you haven't the slightest clue that everyone has already formed an opinion about you!" Leo exploded.

"And what, pray, does 'everyone' think of me?" Eliena demanded.

"They think you're a shameless flirt who's been in bed with men for years." Eliena gasped.

"How _dare_ you speak to me like that? Do you forget who I am?" she asked.

"No, El. I _didn't_ forget who you are. _No one_ can forget because _you won't let them_, understand? Whenever someone ticks you off, you remind them that they're _below_ you. You know what, Eliena? We may be below you in _title_, but in morals? We're _way _above you." Leo rose. "Forget it. It's useless talking to you anymore, Eliena. You're not the Eliena I used to know and love when we were kids. You've changed. And I don't like it."

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Leo. And I _don't_ need you taking care of me. I never did," Eliena hissed.

"Fine. You can take care of _yourself_, princess!" Leo walked out and slammed the door.

_REVIEW_.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Eliena climbed into bed, thinking about the conversation she'd had with Neal and Kaddar when Leo had stormed out.

_"Do you really see me that way?" Eliena asked. Neal and Kaddar shook their heads._

_"Eliena, don't you get it?" Neal questioned. _

_  
"No," Eliena snapped. "Obviously not."_

_  
"Cool it," Neal told her. "You've never noticed how Leo looks at you? I noticed it the first time I saw him around you. He _likes_ you, El. And not just as his best friend."_

_  
"_What_?" Eliena asked, shocked. _Leo?_ No- it couldn't be. _

_"I noticed too," Kaddar agreed. "He's jealous, Eliena. He knows that the chance is slim that he'll ever be the one you love." _

_"But…" Eliena filled her cheeks with air and let it out in a puff. "Really?" Kaddar and Neal nodded. "But…_Leo_? He's never _done_ anything…" She recalled how, when she had taken a ride with Neal and Leo during one of the balls, Leo had quickly changed the subject when she spoke of love and marriage. "Oh, Goddess. He…" She buried her face in her hands. "I am so _stupid_! To think I never noticed it! Oh, Mithros, he's my best friend! How could I do this? I wish… why couldn't he have just _told _me?"_

_  
"Because he saw the way every other man in Court looked at you," Neal replied. "Even the married men and the old conservatives look at you with a touch of love in their eyes- don't tell me you haven't noticed. I know how he feels. Do you know how hard it is to approach you, Eliena? You're always laughing and smiling with other women, or with your _parents_. It's hard for us to approach a girl who looks like that. And none of us want to be 'just another man' who looks at you in love and wants you." Eliena blushed. "Do you know how many men would _kill _to spend one _minute_ with you, Eli?"_

_  
"I don't believe it." She shook her head. "I'm not _that _popular!"_

_"No. But the men who've had a glimpse of _Eliena_ love you because you're _you_. The others love you because you're the princess and they would _love_ to boast that they shared their bed with the Tortallan heiress." Eliena turned beet red._

_  
"Stop it," she said. "Just stop. I don't want to hear it." She sighed. "I just want to go to sleep. I'm sorry, Neal, Kaddar. I really am."_

_  
"Don't be sorry," Kaddar told her. "You can't hide feelings for that long." Thinking of Leo, Eliena nodded._

_  
"Yeah," she remarked. "I just wish it were easier." Not for the first time, she wished she weren't a princess and she had never come to Carthak. "Good night." Kaddar kissed her cheek and Neal kissed her forehead._

_  
"Sleep well," they said, shutting the door._

_  
"Yeah, you too."_

Eliena stared at the dark ceiling and sighed. How could she miss Leo's feelings? Thinking back, he'd made them blatantly obvious to anyone who looked. He'd come to Carthak to rescue her. And Neal had come along. It was clear to Eliena that Leo had come up with the idea. He'd risked a lot, coming without her father knowing.

She rolled onto her side. There wasn't time to think of it now. She needed to get some rest. Her mother had often told her that things looked better after sleeping on them. Eliena closed her eyes and dreamed of the men who she loved in one way or another: her father, George, Myles, Leo, Neal, Numair, Kaddar, Duke Gareth, Raoul, Gary, Thom, her brother… every last one of them.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Elenia! Time to get up!" Thayet called.

"I'm up!" Eliena called back, opening her door. She wore a basic butter colored silk dress, with her hair pulled out of her face in a half-horsetail. Her black curls snaked down her back and contrasted the light color of the dress. Thayet smiled.

"Beautiful," she remarked. "As always." Eliena smiled.

"Thanks. Is Daine up?" she asked.

"Yes," Daine answered curtly from behind Thayet.

"Daine! Come here." Eliena grabbed her friend's wrist and dragged her into her room, shutting the door.

"What do you want?" Daine asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I want to say I'm sorry," Eliena replied. "Last night… I wasn't thinking clearly. It was a mistake. Actually, no." Daine raised her eyebrows. "I don't want to _marry_ Numair, I don't love him in that way. I explained this to Kaddar, Neal, and Leo last night. We're all entitled to our little romances when we're young. Well, this is mine. With your permission or not Daine, I'm going to continue it. I'd rather you were my friend, but if you can't deal with a part of me… well, I just don't see the point."

"You finished?" Daine asked.

"Yes," Eliena replied.

"Well, then." Daine threw her arms around Eliena.

"Um, OK…" Eliena said, not quite getting it.

"That's all I wanted to hear: that you don't want to marry Numair." As soon as the words escaped her, Daine clapped a hand over her mouth and swore. A smile spread across Eliena's face.

"Daine… do you have something to share?" Daine shook her head, keeping her hand clamped tight over her mouth. "Daine…" Eliena pried her friend's hand off. "OK, you _need_ to enlighten me now. Do you _love_ him, Daine?" Daine mumbled something incoherent. "What?"

"Yes. I wasn't… I wasn't sure until last night… when I saw you kiss, something stung. I didn't know what it was… and I felt so bad…" Eliena put her hand on Daine's shoulder.

"Shh," Eliena told her. "Stop fussing." Eliena looked serious. "If you don't want me to be with Numair, I won't."

"You'd do that for me?" Daine looked up at Eliena through her thick black eyelashes.

"Of course," Eliena replied. "That's what friends do. And you, Veralidaine Sarrasri, are my _best_ friend. Now, shall we take care of our little… problem?" Eliena and Daine smiled at each other. Eliena slung her arm around Daine's shoulder and they left the room, looking like the friends they were.

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"Your imperial majesty!" Eliena gasped that day at lunch.

"What is it, Eliena?" Ozorne asked.

"You look ill!" Eliena replied. "You're pale… and you look tired."

"I feel just fine," Ozorne assured her. Eliena glanced at Daine, who was beside her, when _really_ looking at Numair, who was carefully hidden behind the girl.

"You look simply _terrible_," Daine told him. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I feel _fine_, girls, really. I thank you for your-actually, now that you mention it, I do feel a bit ill," Ozorne remarked, putting his hand to his head.

"Oh, your imperial majesty! My mother is a healer, she's taught me some," Eliena said. "Let me look…" She used the inside of her wrist to feel his forehead. "You're burning up!" She called up her Gift and pretended to look at Ozorne using it. "And your Gift is dimming. Oh, there's your life force… oh, dear." Anyone who knew Eliena knew that she _never_ said "oh, dear." Fortunately, Emperor Ozorne didn't know Eliena all that well.

"What is it?" Ozorne sounded concerned.

Eliena met his eyes. "Your life force… it's almost gone," Eliena told him quietly.

"No!" Ozorne cried. "It isn't! I've felt perfectly fine!"

"These things can sneak up on you." Eliena shrugged. "At this point, there is nothing any healer can do."

"Are you positive? Maybe I could have one of my healers look at me…" Ozorne suggested.

"No!" Eliena exclaimed. Ozorne looked at her curiously. She blushed. "I mean, there's no need for that. My mother cured my father of the Sweating Sickness. She's taught me well, as has the palace healer, Duke Baird. I've been educated by some of the best healers in the world. I believe I know what I am talking about." Eliena was lying, but she _had_ been taught very well. She put a comforting hand on Ozorne's forearm. "If you would like to begin making preparations, I would understand."

"Are you positive?" Ozorne asked, eyes concerned. "You're sure that it's… fading?"

"It's almost gone," Eliena replied. Ozorne sighed.

"Well, if that's the way it has to be…" Something flashed in his dark eyes. "Wait a moment… Eliena, darling, could you possibly ask Kaddar and Lindhall to come to my chambers. If you might come as well… and the Stormwing Rikash." Eliena nodded and curtsied deeply.

"As you wish, your imperial majesty," she replied. She turned and left, smiling to herself. _So far, so good._ She gave Numair a thumbs-up and went to find the people Ozorne had asked for.

_**Author's Note- **ah, I love a good scheme. Now, soon the involvement with EM will be over and we can get to the GOOD stuff, aka ROTG… REVIEW._


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Eliena sat with Lindhall, Rikash, and Kaddar in Ozorne's private chambers. She had explained to Rikash when getting him what was going on and the Stormwing could barely hide his content. Lindhall and Kaddar, who were also in on the plot, managed to keep straight faces while Eliena focused all her energy on looking concerned. Ozorne was rifling through his things, looking for something.

"Ah!" He produced a gleaming steel feather. "Here it is!" Eliena tucked her hand behind her back and crossed her fingers. "Now I shall live forever!" With that, he plunged it into his skin. He flared and when everyone could see again, a Stormwing with Ozorne's head sat in front of them. "What?" He looked around and raised a silver wing. "I'm a-a-a-a _Stormwing_!"

"Don't sound so disgusted," Rikash told him sweetly. "Stormwings are wonderful creatures. Unless they're after you."

"You!" Ozorne turned blazing eyes on Eliena and Kaddar. "You!" He jabbed a wing at Eliena. "You tricked me!"

"Who? Me?" she asked sweetly. "Now, would _I_ ever do that?" A mischievous smile played on her lips.

Ozorne swore. "You _Tortallans_-" Eliena cut him off with a blast of violet fire.

"Don't you _dare_ speak of us that way! You are no longer the Emperor Mage of Carthak; therefore I hold more power over you! So _silence_!" Leo's words came back to her: _you never let anyone forget who you are_, but she shoved them away. This was different.

"What?" Ozorne squawked. "How…?" Numair appeared from the shadows. "Numair Salmalín! I should have known."

"You forget our lessons, Ozorne," Numair said, leaning against the wall and maintaining a cool composure. "No immortal may hold a mortal throne. And, last I checked, Stormwings are immortals." He smiled.

"But I have Stormwing magic!" Ozorne attempted to use his new magic. Rikash, Numair, Lindhall, and Eliena all blasted him with power.

"You won't live long enough to master it," Rikash informed him. He flapped his wings and flew lazily to the open window. Many Stormwings appeared behind him. "Not with us _all_ after you."

"Don't worry, Ozorne, they'll give you a head start," Kaddar told his uncle. Ozorne flew out as fast as he could- which was quite slow, as he hadn't quite mastered his wings yet.

"Well, Kaddar." Eliena curtsied deeply. "Or should I say, your imperial majesty?" Numair and Lindhall bowed. Eliena looked up, eyes alight. "We've done it!" she cried. "He's gone!" Numair strode over in two long steps and scooped her up to spin her around. She screeched good-naturedly and hugged him tightly. She avoided his kiss and shook her head. "Not now." Numair nodded his head, respect filling his dark eyes. Eliena turned to Kaddar, who also scooped her into a hug. "So… are we still going to be married?"

Kaddar shook his head. "Not unless you want to."

"No offense, but I don't," Eliena replied. Kaddar smiled.

"That's what I thought." He kissed her forehead. "Friends?"

"Of course," she replied. "I'd never give that up."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Eliena stood at the bottom of the ramp that would take her up to the boat home. She was facing Kaddar, saying final goodbyes. Everyone else was on the boat- including Lindhall who was coming to Tortall with them. Neal was waiting with Daine, and Leo was avoiding Eliena.

"So, you're leaving," Kaddar said.

"I am," she replied. "I've been away a long time. Too long." They were both silent. "I'll miss you."

"And I'll miss you. But, remember, if you ever need aid, I'll be willing to help," Kaddar told her.

"Thanks," Eliena said. Her eyes filled. "Oh, Goddess." She laughed. "I'm going to cry now."

"Hey, where's that tough, brave Eliena I know?" Kaddar teased. Eliena laughed again and wiped her eyes.

"I'm _really_ going to miss you," she remarked.

"Well, you _could_ always stay and marry me… Give the throne to your brother…" Kaddar ventured.

"Kaddar…" Eliena warned. They'd had many conversations of that nature, trying to decide what would be best.

"I'm just joking," Kaddar assured her. "I know that you wouldn't do that."

"Eliena, we had best get going," Duke Gareth called.

"Just a moment!" Eliena called back over her shoulder. "I have to leave," she told Kaddar. He hugged her tightly.

"Stay safe, Eliena. And don't do or say anything stupid," Kaddar whispered. She looked at him.

"Since _when _have I said or done anything stupid?" she asked. Kaddar opened his mouth. "Actually, don't answer that." He laughed and brushed black hair from her face.

"I'll miss you, El."

"You know, that's getting kind of old," she teased.

"Eliena!" Duke Gareth called sharply. Eliena groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Bye, Kaddar. Stay in touch." She pecked his cheek and lifted her skirts to run up to the boat. Neal put his arm around her waist to hold her as the boat pulled away. "Bye!" She waved ferociously, along with Daine and Neal.

"Goodbye! May the gods bless your voyage!" Kaddar called, waving back.

Eliena blew a kiss into the wind. "Miss you already!"

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Several days later, the ship pulled into port at Port Caynn. There was a large crowd awaiting them. Within it, Eliena spotted her parents, George, Rose, Raoul, Cythera, Buri, Thom, and other nobles she only knew a little. They were surrounded by the King's Own. She waved.

"Welcome home!" Jonathan called. "We missed you!"

"Its good to be back!" Eliena called back. The moment she could, Eliena ran off the ship and flew into her father's strong arms.

"Eli!" he exclaimed, hugging her tightly.

"I'm home! Finally!" Eliena cried, hugging her mother.

"And not engaged," Alanna put in.

Eliena grinned. "That's true."

"Leo! There you are!" Jon said. "We were worried about you."

Leo bowed. "My apologies, your majesty." He shot Eliena a look that told her he was still mad.

"If you hadn't been with Eliena, you might have been in a lot of trouble," the king informed his squire.

"Yes, sire," Leo said.

"Leo, is every all right?" Alanna asked. "You seem mad." If anyone knew mad, it was the Lioness.

"Everything is fine, your majesty," Leo replied.

"You're not talking like it is," Eliena retorted.

"I don't believe you're a part of this conversation, Eli," Leo shot back.

"Ouch, that _really_ hurt," Eliena remarked sarcastically.

"Eli? Leo?" George asked. "Are you two OK?"

"Fine," the two snapped together, glaring at each other.

"But, apparently, _I_ need to be watched over by _Squire_ Leo here," Eliena said.

"You need a keeper, Eli! You've always gotten yourself into trouble!" Leo retorted.

Alanna's eyes flashed. "Eli has never needed watching over by anyone. George, kindly control your son's tongue."

"You know as well as I do that's near impossible, Alanna," George replied. "He's like you in that respect."

"I think you should go say hello to your Uncle Thom, Eliena," Jonathan told her in a way that said he wasn't just suggesting it- he was ordering it.

"I think I'll do that," Eliena replied, glaring at Leo. She curtsied to her parents. "Mother, father." She nodded to George. "Uncle George." Her eyes were cold as she looked at Leo. "_Squire Leonard._"

With that, she walked away.

_**Author's Note- **so, I found this new band I like. They're called **Cute Is What We Aim For**. Really good, if you ask me. In other, more related news, I wrote the first two chapters of a new fan fic. Not sure when it will go up, though. I at least want to get closer to finishing this before I put it up. So… I think I'll go eat dinner now. I haven't eaten since 10 this morning and it is now after 5:30. REVIEW._


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

_**IMPORTANT AN- **I'm struggling with the final pairing. There are several different directions I can go: Eliena/Leo, Eliena/Neal, Eliena/Numair, Eliena/new character, or I could possibly make it Eliena/Kaddar. So. This is the **Final Pairing Poll**: **WHAT DO YOU WANT THE FINAL PAIRING TO BE?** (Some of you have made it clear—**MSB** and **Abiona Marchand**, I'm looking at you—but I want you to tell me in your **REVIEW** anyway.) OK? Got it? Good. _

_Why must my birthday fall in the social season? _Eliena wondered. She was turning sixteen, and was forced to have her Court presentation exactly on her birthday.

Eliena had grown into a beauty rivaling Thayet's. Eliena's black hair snaked halfway down her back and her violet eyes were surrounded by long lashes that Eliena had learned to use to her advantage. She was lean, but strong and curvy. She had her father's nose and chin, but her mother's height: Eliena stood at a final height of 5'5''.

The buzz around Court was that Eliena would make a wonderful queen—_someday_. The comment was always followed by making the Sign Against Evil, as Jonathan's parents had died early, causing Jonathan to become king in a tough time and to much gossip.

Eliena took after her mother in many respects: her sharp tongue, sharper temper, _colorful_ vocabulary, and skill with weapons as well as hand-to-hand combat. Alanna had taught Eliena the use of war weapons from the time her daughter could hold them. Eliena had also been taught by the Shang Dragon-Liam Ironarm-from the age of six, and might have gone off to Shang if she wasn't the heiress. The Dragon had always jokingly called the princess "the Tigress" as a play on Alanna's "Lioness." (Liam and Alanna had become friends on her quest for the Dominion Jewel.) The nickname for Eliena was taking hold in Court as she constantly proved her abilities.

Eliena also took after her father: she had a reasonable head on her shoulder (unless she lost her temper), a good sense of right and wrong, a commanding presence, a friendly nature, and charm. Eliena did to men what her father did to women. She made almost every boy she met drool over her, as her father made women swoon. _(**AN- **how many of us know that Jonathan causes drooling? My hand is up.)_ Eliena also had her father's pride, which caused problems.

She had trouble forgiving people. They always had to prove that they deserved it. The future queen's trust was hard to gain. Once it was lost, it was very difficult (but not impossible) to regain.

"Hold _still_, Eli." Eliena's grandmother, Eleni (Myles's wife and George's mother), was making sure the dress Eliena would wear for her presentation that night fit the girl properly. Eliena sighed and stopped fidgeting.

"Oh, _Eli_," Daine gasped. "_Look_ at you!"

"May I?" Eliena asked Eleni.

"Go ahead," her grandmother replied. Eliena turned to the three-way mirror and inhaled sharply.

The blue-violet silk glittered with tiny diamonds perfectly sprinkled on the skirt and bodice. And expanse of beautiful tanned skin stretched from part of her bosom up through her neck, giving Eliena lovely canvas for jewelry. Her shoulders and arms were bare except for the loops circling her upper arms- decorative sleeves. The silk progressively darkened as it neared the ground, never losing the blue and purple coloring. Eliena's hands rested gently on the full skirt. She swished it and found it was easily moveable. She ran her hands of the curve of her torso, feeling how the bodice hugged her graceful curves. Eliena had never felt more like a princess.

"Here." Eleni helped Eliena to put on thin-heeled blue-violet silk shoes. Eliena grew three inches in the shoes, and the skirt of her ground kissed the floor. Her violet eyes shone.

"I love it," she murmured. "Its beautiful."

"_You're_ beautiful," Daine told her friend. "You'll be the prettiest one there!" Eli turned to her fellow sixteen-year-old.

"You _do_ have a gown, don't you?" the princess asked. Daine nodded.

"And it fits. Don't worry, Eli. I've been taken care of," she replied.

Daine might not have _had_ a presentation if it weren't for Eliena. Daine assured Eli that she didn't _need_ a presentation, but Eliena wouldn't let her friend be left out. The king and queen had agreed and had seen to all the details. Daine had gotten sour, saying that no one could compare to Eli, who would undeniably be the center of attention. Eli had overridden Daine, who agreed in the end.

"Do you have an escort?" Eli asked. "I mean- a _presenter_?" All girls coming into Court for the first time needed to be presented by someone- usually a man. The girl's father typically stepped in for the role, but Daine didn't know her father.

"Numair," Daine replied. Her eyes glittered. "He offered and I accepted. Who's presenting you?"

"_Both_ my parents," Eliena replied. "Mother's going to wear a dress-father's making her. And they're going to make a speech." She made a face. "And they have to _approve_ all men who wish to dance with me. Its time like this when I don't _want_ to be a princess."

"You think they wouldn't approve some?" Daine asked.

"Yes," Eliena replied. Daine raised an eyebrow. "OK, _no_. But I don't _want_ to dance with all the men who ask me."

"So come up with a way to signal that to your parents," Daine suggested. "So they can make up an excuse."

Eliena thought it over. "Sounds good," she decided. "Thanks, Daine. Grandmother, am I done?"

"Yes, I'll help you out of the dress," Eleni replied.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Eliena stood at the top of the grand staircase. All the other girls had been presented, except for her and Daine. Eliena was waiting for her parents to come. Her black hair was pinned up into an elaborate updo and had sapphires glittering in it, as well as a thin silver crown. She wore diamond earrings and a diamond necklace. On her right ring finger an amethyst ring-a gift from her Uncle George-glittered from inside white gold.

"Where _are_ they?" Eliena asked impatiently. She was tapping her foot nervously. Daine and Numair exchanged an amused glance. Eliena had never been a patient girl.

"Just relax," Numair told her soothingly. "Do you want my to use magic?"

"_No_," Eliena replied emphatically. "I just want my gods cursed _parents_ to get here!" Numair shook his head and Daine squeezed Eliena's hand reassuringly.

"Don't be nervous, El," Daine said.

"I'm not," Eliena retorted. Under her breath she added, "I just want to get this _over_ with!"

Numair kissed her forehead. "If its any consolation, you look beautiful, Eli," he told her.

"Thanks," Eliena replied with a smile. Her little romance with Numair hadn't lasted the boat ride back to Tortall. They'd had a long talk about it, and both decided it was for the best. Numair treated Eliena the way he'd treat a younger sister, and she was still his student.

"Hey!" Daine poked him and smiled impishly. "That's the _fifth_ time you've told her that. And I haven't heard a word."

Daine wore a twilight blue silk gown. Eleni insisted there was no other color that Daine could wear as beautifully. It was made of light velvet and had wide straps sitting on her shoulders. The neckline was square-cut, dipping as low as Eliena's dress sat-a modest place. Daine wore a simple silver chain with a diamond dangling from it and diamond earrings. A diamond bracelet dangled from her wrist. Her smoky brown curls were half pulled up and held with a diamond clip. The rest were tamed and falling around her shoulders. George had also given Daine a ring- hers was amber set into white gold.

"Daine, you look _beautiful_," Numair told her. "You rival her highness!"

"Oh, stop." Daine blushed. "Don't flatter me."

"Its true," Eliena insisted. "I won't be the _only_ one getting bombarded with dance invitations!" Numair's eyes flashed-but only Eliena noticed. _Hmm… _

There was no time to ponder it, however, as the king and queen appeared at that very moment.

"Sorry, Eliena," Jonathan said, kissing his daughter's cheek as not to mess her lip rogue. "We were caught up a moment." He glanced at the herald. "Are we ready?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the chief herald replied, bowing deeply. "Shall I begin?"

"Please," Alanna told him. The herald faced the ballroom.

"If I may have your attention please!" The room fell silent and the path to the dais holding the thrones was cleared. "Black Robe Mage Master Numair Salmalín and Veralidaine Sarrasri." Daine took a deep, shaky breath and descended the stairs. Eliena silently cheered for her friend, who made it down without tripping. Numair and Daine stood beside the dais, Daine's eyes revealing her anxiousness for her friend.

The second door to the Grand Stair swung open, as it did for royalty. Eliena, with her father on her right and mother on her left, stepped up. Her parents held each of her arms. "His Royal Highness King Jonathan IV of Conté! Her Royal Majesty Queen Alanna of Olau and Conté! And the future Queen of Tortall, the birthday girl-" Eliena smiled, "-Her Royal Highness Princess Eliena of Conté!" Eliena drew in her breath and smiled. She floated down the steps with a natural grace and beauty. Her parents went forward and Eliena paused, allowing them to get to their thrones. There was a smaller throne in between the king and queen's- she knew it was for her. Daine curtsied and Numair bowed, Alanna and Jonathan acknowledged them by inclining their heads.

"Eliena?" Jonathan called. Eliena began the walk to the dais, with the men and women bowing and curtsying as she passed. Finally, she stood before her parents. With a perfectly executed curtsy, she stepped up onto the dais, faced the crowd, swept her skirts, and took her throne as the future queen.

_**Author's Note- **well. I liked writing that chapter. It felt good. **REMEMBER THE AFOREMENTIONED POLL**! Click the button and REVIEW!_


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

"Your Highness, might you honor me with this dance?" Neal asked, bowing. Eliena glanced at her parents. Both gave just the slightest nod. Eliena rose and offered Neal her hand.

"Nealan of Queenscove, it would be my pleasure to dance with you," she replied. As princess, she didn't need to curtsy. Neal helped her off the dais and kissed her hand.

"Thank you." Eliena grinned. From the way Neal was acting, no one could tell how he _really_ was. Neal led Eliena onto the dance floor and they started to dance.

"So, are you enjoying yourself?" Eliena asked.

"Oh, yes. It's quite funny to stand with the young men. You know, they're all elbowing each other saying, 'No, _you_ ask her first!' You're intimidating them, El. Finally, I just walked over. Look." Eliena glanced at the men Neal was talking about. They were gaping at Neal. She smiled and threw her head back to laugh before leaning in to make sounds in his ear. "You're an evil girl, Eliena of Conté."

"Thank you." Eliena tossed her head. They laughed.

When they finished, Neal returned Eliena to her dais with a bow. "You dance splendidly, Your Highness," he flattered.

"As do you, Nealan," she replied, sitting once again.

"I hope you will save me another dance," Neal remarked.

"I shall do my best." She dismissed him with an incline of her head. As Neal rejoined the group of young men, they all seemed to jump on him with questions. Eliena smirked to herself.

"Your Highness, might I have the honor of this dance?" Eliena looked and saw Lord Martin bowing to her. She cleared her throat and smoothed her skirt, the secret sign to her parents that she didn't wish to dance with the person.

"Lord Martin, Eliena is quite tired, she's been dancing all evening you know. I think she will sit this one out," Jonathan explained. Lord Martin bowed again and nodded.

"I understand." Eliena offered her hand and he kissed it. "Happy Birthday, Your Highness. May the gods shine on you this and every day." Eliena inclined her head politely, not trusting herself to say anything.

The next dance went to Duke Gareth, the following to Raoul, then one to Gary, one to Myles, one to George, and one to a new knight Eliena couldn't remember the name of. Halfway through the evening, Jonathan rose and turned to his daughter.

"Will you honor me with this dance, Princess Eliena?" he asked, eyes dancing. He took her hand and helped her up as Eli giggled. She curtsied.

"The honor would be mine, Your Majesty," she replied. Alanna grinned.

"Have fun!" she told them. Jonathan led Eliena to the floor, and a path was cleared for them.

"Oh, no, keep dancing," he told the people they passed. They obeyed. Jonathan took Eliena and started dancing with her. "How's your birthday so far?"

"Wonderful," she replied. "I only wish some of those boys wouldn't be so afraid of me!" She acknowledged the boys who Neal had mentioned before. "Many are almost knights-or new knights. The only new knight I danced with was so nervous he stepped on my feet!"

Jonathan chuckled. "It never occurred to me this might happen to you. I never had this problem myself. Because I was a man, _I_ asked ladies to dance with _me_. And, being the prince, they rarely said no."

"You're getting full of yourself again, father," Eliena warned him. Whenever her mother wasn't around, it was Eliena's job to keep her father's pride in check. Jonathan returned the favor for his daughter.

"Why don't you dance with Leo? Then maybe they wouldn't feel so nervous," Jonathan suggested.

"Father, Leo and I are fighting. You know that," Eliena reminded him. "Somehow, I think that dancing with him might bring about disaster."

"You could get the upper hand by agreeing to dance with him," Jonathan sing-songed. Eliena's eyes lit up. Get the upper hand? That sounded promising.

"OK. But how will you convince him to dance with me?" Eliena asked.

Her father's blue eyes were guarded. "Oh, I'll manage _something_."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Jonathan pulled his squire aside. "Leo, you know how you want to be friends with Eliena again?"

"Yes…" Leo replied.

"Ask her to dance," Jonathan told him.

"Uncle Jon, she _hates_ me," Leo said. "There's no way she'd agree to dance with me."

"Oh, you'd be surprised what Eliena will agree to," Jon mentioned mysteriously. Leo eyed his uncle, knight-master, and king, but the king revealed nothing in his body language or sapphire eyes. Leo sighed.

"All right. But I'm telling you, she won't."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Might Your Highness honor me with this dance?" Leo asked, bowing deeply to his princess, former friend, and crush. As she had done for almost every other man, Eliena glanced at her parents. Jonathan nodded. Alanna watched her husband with a suspicious look, but nodded as well. Eliena knew that her mother would grill her father while she and Leo were dancing. Eliena faced Leo and gave him her hand. As many others had done, Leo helped Eli to her feet and kissed her hand.

"It would be my pleasure, Squire Leonard," she replied. Leo led her to the dance floor. Daine, who was dancing with Numair, and Neal, who stood with the other young men, looked shocked. _Eliena_ and _Leo_ were_ dancing_? What was going on?

Eliena noticed that Leo had grown quite a bit since they had last…spoken. He stood over six feet in height, but still two inches shorter than Jonathan. And he was four inches shorter than Raoul and Numair, but three inches shorter than his father. She couldn't read Leo's hazel eyes, which bothered her. Just because they were no longer friends meant he wouldn't let her see his feelings? His brown hair was perfectly combed, which was very un-Leo. His scarlet hose subtly showed the time Leo spent in the saddle with his defined leg muscles. His billow-sleeved scarlet shirt hid what Eliena knew were well-muscled arms. She also knew that his chest was strong and she could count eight abdominal muscles when he was shirtless. His golden tunic and scarlet shirt hid this, however.

Eliena, whose rooms looked out over the practice courts, had secretly spent long amounts of time watching the pages, squires, and knights practicing. Many of them practiced shirtless, giving Eliena a chance to sigh without anyone knowing. Leo had surprised her with how well he was built, as had Neal.

Leo said something, but Eliena missed it. She smiled. "Sorry, Leo, what? My mind was… elsewhere."

"Thinking of Numair?" Leo asked meanly. Eliena looked taken aback.

"Leo!" she gasped. "How could you talk like that? I'll have you know that he and I didn't even make it past the boat home!" Her violet eyes snapped and crackled like flames in a fireplace on a cold winter's day. Leo softened, and let the guard in his eyes drop. Eliena saw that there was the same wicked gleam in his eyes that were in his father's.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I'd said Happy Birthday." Eliena smiled at him.

"Thank you," she replied. They were silent for a while.

"I'm sorry for how I acted in Carthak!" they blurted together and laughed.

"You first," Leo told her.

She blushed slightly. "I had no right to act the way I did. I was…mad is all." Leo smiled.

"You've picked up Daine's speech habits," he remarked. Eliena smiled.

"We've spent a lot of time together. We're very close," she explained. "Now, your turn."

"I shouldn't have said the things I did. I was out of place- both as a loyal subject and as a friend," Leo told her.

"I forgive you," they said together and laughed.

"Friends?" Eliena offered.

"Always," Leo replied. They smiled at each other. The song came to a close and Leo escorted Eliena back to her dais. He bowed and kissed her hand. "Princess Eliena, you dance like an angel."

"Squire Leonard, you overly flatter me," she replied. "But you dance very well too." Jonathan and Alanna exchanged a knowing glance. They could tell that the two were friends again. Alanna saw flashes in Eliena that reminded her of herself: flashes meaning that the princess felt something for her long-time friend. Leo stepped up on the dais momentarily and whispered in Eliena's ear, "You look beautiful tonight, Eliena. Like a goddess." With that, he walked away and to Neal. Eliena looked shocked.

"What is it, Eli?" Jonathan asked.

"Nothing," Eliena replied, a secretive smile creeping across her face. "Nothing at all."

_**Author's Note- **and next chapter will start the ROTG-ness. I want to get some reading done in it tonight, to refresh my memory. **DON'T FORGET TO GIVE IMPUT ON THE FINAL PAIRING POLL! **As things are going now, this story may get quite long. With what, I won't tell. REVIEW._


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

_**DEDICATION: **this chapter is for **Alanna22039**, who is now the owner of Eliena's dress from the previous chapter, a wonderfully devoted reviewer, a fabulous reviewer, and a great person._

Eliena sat up in bed and swore loudly. Thom, Numair, Jonathan, Alanna, and even Daine heard her loud and clear-but not with physical ears. Eliena was grumbling about how "gods cursed _painful_ that was" and "what in the name of the Great Mother _happened_?" Anyone with a Gift or wild magic heard the princess and Numair's reply of, "It broke."

Just the word "broke" send people into a tizzy. _What_ broke? Was it important? Where? Numair explained as calmly as possible that it was the barrier between the Human Realms and the Divine Realms and it hadn't just broken- it had _shattered_.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVTARZAN!VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Great Merciful Mother, what _are_ these things?" Eliena asked, looking in awe at the creatures.

"Wyverns," Numair and Daine replied together. The creatures had no eyes, a keen sense of smell, and skinned anything they touched—alive. Eliena called up a violet ball.

"Eli? What are they?" her father asked. Eliena could see the Dominion Jewel in his hand.

"Wyverns. Skinners," she replied and shuddered. "Scary things. Where's mother?" Jonathan had long ago promised his lady knight wife she could fight a war-this war was her choice. Both the king and his daughter worried about Alanna against the immortals. She may have been the Lioness, but she was the queen, and dear to them both.

"Your mother is fine," Jonathan assured her.

Eliena sighed. "Well that's-ah!"

"Eliena? Eliena!" Jonathan yelled. "What's wrong?" His mirror went dark without Eliena's answer.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVTARZAN!VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Eliena's violet eyes fluttered open. She looked around and saw she was in a lush forest.

"Where-where am I?" she asked, sitting up and putting her hand to her head. She felt soft grass underneath her. When she looked down, she saw that she no longer wore breeches and a leather jerkin, but a light, comfortable white dress. She went to fix her hair, but felt it was perfectly in order with a crown of white flowers surrounding her head.

"You are in my realm, my daughter," a voice replied. It sounded like calling wolves. Eliena turned and gasped. The woman standing before he was at least seven feet in height, with the greenest eyes Eliena had ever seen, black hair, and scarlet fingernails.

"Goddess," Eliena murmured, rising and curtsying. Her mother had been touched by the Great Mother Goddess and had told Eliena of her experiences with the higher being.

"You know me," the Goddess said, "from your mother's tales. You know I had my Hand on her. But do you know I have my Hand on you as well?" Eliena looked up in surprise.

"But…why?" she asked.

"Your path will be an interesting was, as was your mother's. But yours shall lead to a different greatness. You are the first woman to ever inherit the Tortallan throne, and you have unique magics around you." Eliena nodded, remembering the power allowing her to sense anyone Tortallan. "But even after the death of your parents, you shall still have much to learn." That made Eliena nervous. Did the Goddess mean her parents would die _soon_? "There is much about your future that is left up to you, but your final destiny is among the Great Ones." _The Great Ones? Could she mean the Great _Gods_? No, she couldn't. Could she? _Eliena thought.

"Is there anything I must know?" Eliena asked, recalling her mother's story about her first encounter with the Goddess.

"You _must_ return home, young princess. You must not remain in the Divine Realms longer than is necessary. Your world needs you," the Goddess replied. Eliena nodded slowly, only barely comprehending. Why would _anyone_ back home need her? "You have many who love and admire you, young one, but you must choose."

"What do you mean?" Eliena asked.

"You must choose _who_ to love and _how_ you love," the Goddess replied vaguely.

"Well _that's_ helpful," she remarked dryly. "There's nothing else you can tell me?"

"Little princess, if we went around telling people their destinies, we wouldn't get any amusement in life," the Goddess replied, amused. Eliena nodded and her eyes widened. A cat walked out from behind the Goddess. It was black with eyes as violet as her own.

"No!" Eliena breathed. "_Faithful?_" Her mother's beloved cat had died shortly after Eliena's first birthday.

_You know me?_ The cat asked in disbelief.

"Mother speaks of you often," Eliena replied. "She misses you."

_Understandably, _the cat said.

"Do you want me to tell her anything?" Eliena asked.

_Tell her I watch over her still, so not to think I can't punish her for what she does,_ Faithful replied. Eliena grinned. The cat was just as her mother had told her he was.

"I have kept you here too long, they worry about you," the Goddess put in, eyes clouded. "I must give you to the ones who brought you."

"What?" Eliena asked. The forest around her started to fade. "Wait! No!"

"Farewell, daughter," the Goddess said.

_Goodbye, Alanna's daughter_, Faithful called.

"No!" Eliena sat up again; she was now in a cozy cottage bedroom.

"Eli!" Daine threw her arms around her friend. "I was worried about you."

"Where am I?" Eliena asked.

"We're in the Divine Realms, Eli. This is my parents' home," Daine replied. "Numair and I have been awake for almost three days. We were worried you hadn't made it."

"Hadn't made it?" Eliena asked in confusion. "Your parents' house? The Divine Realms?"

"We might've died if my ma hadn't pulled us out of the Human Realms. The Skinners were about to kill us," Daine replied. "She brought us here, to the home she lives in with my da." Daine's eyes lit up. "I know my da now, Eli!"

"Good morning, Eliena," Numair greeted from the doorway. "Feeling all right?"

"Fine. Confused, but fine," Eliena said. "I-I saw the Goddess."

"You saw the _Goddess_?" Daine asked. "Tell me about it."

"I- I don't know if I can," Eliena replied, dazed.

"Is that where you got that?" Daine pointed to an ember stone that Eliena clutched in her hand. Eliena looked at it with wide eyes.

"I-I'm not sure," Eliena replied. "I don't _remember_ getting it…" She looked up and saw Numair glittering with a sparkling black fire around him. She gasped. "Great Merciful Mother! I've got one like mother's!" Eliena unhooked the necklace holding her charm against pregnancy and slid the ember stone on it. Just feeling it made her feel safer—almost like Alanna was there with her.

"Is this your friend, Daine?" a woman asked, walking in past Numair. She was beautiful, with golden hair and blue eyes. She smiled welcomingly at Eliena. "Hello."

"Daine, who's that?" Eliena asked, eyes riveted on the woman.

"Eli, this is my ma, Sara Benerski, the Green Lady. Ma, this is Princess Eliena of Conté, she's going to be queen," Daine introduced. Daine's mother curtsied.

"Princess," she said.

"Oh, no," Eliena stopped. Holding her new ember, she could see the woman glittering white—the color of the gods. "You're a goddess. I must curtsy to _you_." Eliena stood and curtsied to Sara. Sara smiled.

"So _you're_ the one the Goddess has her Hand on. We've all heard much about you, princess," Sara remarked.

"Please, its Eliena," Eliena corrected. "Daine's my best friend."

Sara's smile grew and she put her arm around her daughter. "Then I am Sara to you. I'm glad to hear that my Daine has a friend."

"Sara? Daine?" A man wearing only a loincloth walked in. His tanned skin was tinged with green and there were horns in his brown hair. Eliena gasped. She looked down and was relieved to see she still wore the dress she'd worn with the Goddess.

"Weiryn, this is Princess Eliena of Conté, the one the Goddess has her Hand on," Sara told the man. "Eliena, this is my husband, Daine's father, the god Weiryn."

Eliena looked at Daine in shock. "You're a _demigoddess_, Daine?" Daine nodded and blushed. "I'm honored to call you my friend!" Sara, Daine, Weiryn, and Numair chuckled.

"From what we know about you, Eliena of Conté, we should all be honored to stand in your presence," Sara replied. Eliena looked at them in confusion.

"Come again?" she asked.

"Oh, I've said too much, haven't I?" Sara looked at her husband, who nodded. Sara blushed. "Excuse me." She smiled at Eliena. "Come, you must be _famished_. And I'm sure Daine and Master Numair are anxious to speak with you again. They were very worried about you, Eliena."

Eliena nodded, Sara's words echoing in her mind, and followed Sara out of the room.

_**Author's Note- **so, we've got some interesting stuff going on here. Any guesses about Eliena's fate? **Check out my homepage**- there's a little treat for you there. And if you haven't replied to the **poll**, yet, be sure you do. That's IMPORTANT. If you have this story as a favorite, or on alert, you OBVIOUSLY care about what happens. SO SAY SOMETHING! On another note, my Tarzan CD came today. (That's why, in those divider things it says "TARZAN!") I have it on repeat. AMAZING CD- go buy it! And don't forget the REVIEW!_


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

"The Goddess told me I can't linger here," Eliena told Sarra, Weiryn, Numair, and Daine the next day. "That I have to get back because I'm needed."

"Tortall needs their Tigress," Numair teased. "Fighting along side their Lioness." Eliena stuck her tongue out at him. She'd never really liked being called "the Tigress." As much as she loved her mother, Eliena didn't want to be known as "the Lioness's daughter." She wanted to be Eliena-no title-just plain old Eliena.

"So, can you send us back?" Eliena asked Weiryn and Sarra hopefully.

"Unfortunately, Eliena, we can't," Sarra replied.

"Why not?" Eliena demanded. "You _brought_ us here, didn't you?" Sarra glanced at Weiryn.

"That was different," Weiryn replied. "Sarra and I brought _Daine_, who is half-goddess, remember. Numair came along… by accident you could say."

"Then what about me?" Eliena snapped. "I'm sitting here, and I'm sure not in Tortall!"

"Eliena, control your temper, please. Remember who we're with," Numair scolded.

"Who _she's_ with?" Sarra exclaimed. "Master Numair, _please_! Who _we're_ with!" Eliena once again wondered what Sarra meant. Sarra turned to Eliena. "The Goddess brought you, Eliena. Your body was brought _here_, but the rest of you was with the Goddess. She simply returned your soul to your body here."

"Oh," Eliena replied. "So, can the Goddess send us back?" She fingered her ember stone—blue instead of her mother's red.

"The Great Gods are too busy fighting with Uusoae to talk to any of us," Weiryn snorted.

"_Who_?" Eliena asked.

"You don't know of Uusoae?" Numair asked. "I didn't teach you?"

"Apparently not," Eliena retorted.

"Uusoae is the Queen of Chaos. Those color-changing ponds are Chaos vents to her world. Humans are naturally half-Chaos. Except for you, Eliena," Sarra explained.

"Sarra," Weiryn warned. Sarra shushed him with a flick of her hand.

"I'm not going to tell her _all _of that, Weiryn," Sarra told her husband. "Gainel, the Dream King, has one foot in Chaos and one in the Divine Realms. I'm sure you know how he only speaks to humans in dreams." Eliena nodded.

"So how _do_ we get home?" Eliena wanted to know. "Could the Stormwings take us?"

"You think we could carry you that far?" a voice drawled. Rikash perched himself on a chair downwind from the others as not to offend them with his smell.

"Hello, Rikash," Eliena greeted.

"Its more than _that_," Weiryn reminded the Stormwing. He turned to Eliena. "Stormwings are lesser immortals-much like lesser gods, they can't transport people between the Realms. _Un_like lesser gods, they can't even do it during the equinoxes."

"But the barrier is shattered," Eliena protested.

"That means nothing," Sarra replied. "The basic rules still apply. The lesser immortals just have an easier time of going between now."

"Oh." Eliena was disappointed to hear this news. Could they _ever_ get back?

A dark colored blob appeared on the table and Eliena's eyes grew wide. She swore loudly and jumped away.

"What _is_ that thing?" she demanded, glaring at her laughing companions.

"A darking," Daine replied. "Harmless. He's more afraid of you than you are him."

"I'm not afraid of it!" Eliena snapped. "It _startled_ me, that's all." Daine looked skeptical. "Daine. _Who_ gets rid of spiders for my mother? And didn't get afraid around those wolves and snakes of yours? _And_ wasn't nervous around Tkaa?" Daine nodded, Eliena had a point.

"Look-he's making himself into something," Numair put in. The darking stretched up its head.

"Dragon!" Daine exclaimed. "Dragons!"

"Dragons could take them back," Rikash remarked.

"No," Sarra said emphatically. "I am not letting them go to the Dragonlands."

"How come?" Numair asked.

"Too risky," Weiryn replied. "You'll die crossing the Sea of Sand."

"So we'll help," Rikash said. "Our eyries border on the Dragonlands. We know them best."

"Even if you _do_ make it, there's no knowing if they'll actually help you," Weiryn argued. "Dragons do whatever they please."

"But Eliena…" Sarra remarked. "Would they help her?" Weiryn was silent. Sarra whispered something to him, and he nodded.

"Maybe," the god said. "But I still will not allow them to go."

"You can't deny the Great Goddess!" Eliena exploded, leaping to her feet. "She told me that I need to get back. With _your_ approval or not, Weiryn, _I_will go! You're not _my_ father. You may be able to stop Daine and Numair but you certainly can't stop me!"

Everyone but Eliena noticed that she changed as her anger grew. Her height skyrocketed, her features darkened, and her violet eyes blazed dangerously. Daine slid her chair back, suddenly frightened of her friend.

"Eliena, sit down please," Numair whispered. Eliena sat, still glaring at Weiryn.

"She's right, Weiryn," Sarra murmured. "We can't stop Eliena from going."

"If she dies the Goddess will unleash her wrath on us!" Weiryn flamed.

"Why does the Goddess care about me so much?" Eliena wanted to know. "And why am _I_ so important? I'm only princess in the Human Realms, you know!"

"But you're more than that, here, Eliena," Sarra told her gently.

"Sarra, don't," Weiryn said. "Don't."

"She has a right to know, Weiryn, and the Goddess never forbade anyone from telling her," Sarra dismissed. Her attention turned to Eliena. "Your destiny leads you here, Eliena. To the Divine Realms."

_**Author's Note- **oh, I am SO evil. I'll leave that be. I'm not updating this story again until tomorrow. (Or maybe later. Depends on how evil I feel.) Anyway. Off to DELETED "How Can It Be" and move it to the "On Hold Stories" folder, aka "THE POINT OF NO RETURN." Stories hardly ever emerge from there. I'll put up a NEW fic in a few minutes… if all goes well. Now, **REVIEW**._


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

_**AN- **check my homepage: I've redone the **POLL** and added some interesting news in the post before that…_

"What do you mean?" Eliena asked.

Sarra glanced at Weiryn. "You know better than I do, why don't you explain?" Weiryn sighed.

"When you were born, there was a large meeting in which all the gods attended. The Goddess announced that one whom she had her Hand had been born in the Human Realms. She never made this announcement, we all just knew who was touched by the Goddess. But she explained that the baby's destiny was among the gods- the _Great_ Gods. She did not say the _name_ of the child or the location, just that the baby was a girl and would lead a powerful life. The only hint any of us got to the girl's identity was that she would be 'friends with a demigoddess.' We heard no more about it, until recently when the Great Gods sent word that the barrier separating our Realms had been broken and they wanted to know if anyone knew who had done it," Weiryn explained. Eliena glanced at Daine. Daine was a demigoddess.

"So… you mean to say that Eliena is destined to be one of the Great Gods?" Numair clarified.

"Yes," Sarra replied. Eliena looked around. All eyes were focused on her. "Eliena will die and come to the Divine Realms to be one of the Great Gods."

"I'm going to be a goddess," Eliena remarked. "That sounds… interesting." Sarra smiled.

"It isn't easy, Eliena, I'll give you that," Sarra told the girl. "And I'm a lesser goddess."

"Well, Tortall should be proud," Numair said. "To have a future goddess as their heiress."

"No one can know," Weiryn cut in. "And I mean _no one_." He looked around the table. "I don't think we should've told _you_, Eliena."

"You're correct, Weiryn. Eliena wasn't supposed to know." Sarra and Weiryn got to their feet to acknowledge the presence of the Great Mother Goddess.

"Is that…" Daine breathed.

"Yes, daughter of gods, I am the Great Mother Goddess," the Goddess replied. Daine curtsied and Numair bowed. Eliena stayed seated.

"Forgive us, Great Goddess," Sarra said. "We only thought that Eliena should know her path."

"I forgive you, Green Lady," the Goddess assured the new goddess. Her green eyes focused on Eliena. "But Weiryn is correct, young princess. No one is to know of your future. Not even your parents."

"Can you at least tell me what I'll be doing or what my name will be?" Eliena asked. "Because it would be really nice to know."

"No," the Goddess replied. "Some things should be left to the future."

"Well, can you at the put us back in Tortall?" Eliena wanted to know. "You said we need to get back. And you putting us there would save a whole lot of time."

"I can only put one of you back in your world, young princess," the Goddess explained. "The other two will have to complete the journey to the Dragonlands."

Eliena glanced at her friends. "You go, Eli," Daine said. "You're the princess. They need you most."

"Go, Eliena. We'll see you soon enough," Numair agreed.

"I'll go then," Eliena told the Goddess.

"Very good." The Goddess nodded. "Say goodbye."

Eliena went to her god hosts first. Sarra hugged her. "Remember us when you return to the Divine Realms, Eliena," Daine's mother told her. "And stop in once in a while." Eliena smiled.

"I will, Sarra. I promise," she assured the goddess. Weiryn clasped her hand.

"I give gifts to those I favor," he told her gruffly and a bow and quiver of arrows materialized in his hand. "And I've seen you. You deserve this more than anyone I can think of, aside from my own daughter, that is." He handed it to Eliena, who admired it. "Use it well." Eliena smiled.

"Thank you, Weiryn. This means a lot," Eliena said. She went to Numair next, who hugged her tightly.

"Be safe, Eliena. We don't want our future queen dying on us," he whispered. Eliena nodded. "We'll see you soon. Try to hold them off. Serve us well." Eliena smiled at Numair. She turned to Daine. The two friends embraced.

"I'll miss you," Daine said. "Please don't get yourself hurt. Be smart, Eli, please. And win this war for us."

"You'll be back before you know it," Eliena told her friend. "And you be safe, too. I'll need my best friend." Both girls were teary as they embraced again.

"Come, Eliena, we have one stop to make before I return you home," the Goddess said, extending a white hand to Eliena. Eliena took it and waved goodbye to her companions.

Eliena and the Goddess then stood in an armory. A tall man with black hair and gold armor stood there.

"Its about time," he remarked.

"She was saying goodbye, Mithros, it may be a long time before she sees her friends again," the Goddess retorted.

"Mithros!" Eliena squeaked. The man standing before her was the god of the Sun and war. Eliena curtsied. "I'm honored."

"Stop that," the Great God told her. "You'll be among us one day." Eliena nodded. _News sure travels fast here,_ she thought. _But, then again, it does in Tortall too!_ "Now…which one?" He looked at the rack of swords behind him. _Is his going to give me a sword? _Eliena wondered. "Ah. This one looks just about perfect." He plucked one from the wall and held it in his hands. Eliena admired the gold hilt, which was inlaid with black opals, and an amethyst at the end. Her eyes traveled up to the blade. "The finest blend of diamond and silver. No mortal blade can match it, or break it," the god explained. Eliena fingered her ember stone and saw the blade was alight with white fire. "Made by the gods and only wielded by the strongest." He handed it to Eliena. "This blade shall protect you like no other in all of the Realms- Human or Divine." Eliena smiled.

"Thank you. I'm honored to carry such a blade," she said. Mithros gave her a sheath for her new blade—gold, dotted with amethysts and sapphires. Eliena slid her new sword into it and fastened it at her waist. She would name it when she returned to Tortall.

"Now, we must return her home," the Goddess decided. He rested his hand on one of her shoulders, and the Goddess rested a hand on the other.

"Return home, young princess," they said. Eliena closed her eyes and felt herself break into a million little pieces, and then reassemble soon after. When she opened her eyes, she wore breeches and a leather jerkin—the same outfit she had been wearing when she had ended up in the Divine Realms. Her new sword was fasted around her waist, the bow from Weiryn was in her hand, and her quiver was on her back. She saw a tall, black haired man holding a gleaming Jewel standing at the edge of the tower walls.

"_Father_!" she cried. Jonathan of Conté turned and saw his daughter. His face-which had been dark with grief since her disappearance-lit up.

"_Eliena_!" She ran into his arms. Jonathan held her level with his face and she kissed him. "Thank the gods you're safe!" Eliena saw his eyes were watery. She wiped them.

"I'm fine, father, I always was," she assured him softly. "And look!" She showed him her new bow, quiver, and sword. Jonathan whistled.

"Those are some weapons you have there," he remarked. "Where did you get them?"

Eliena smiled wickedly. "I'm not allowed to say," she taunted. "So _there_." Jonathan chuckled.

"I missed you, Eli," he told her, hugging his daughter again. "Now, what are you going to name that sword of yours? Your mother's is Lightning."

"Hm." Eliena thought about it. She wanted it to be special, a name that no one else had used. And didn't relate to "Lightning" in any way. She turned the sword in her hand, admiring the glow that the diamond gave it. She thought of her mother's old warhorse, Moonlight, and her mother's cat, Faithful. She smiled. "Faithful," she decided. "After mother's cat." Jonathan smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I think your mother would be proud to hear that," he remarked, taking the sword in his hands. "I dub thee 'Faithful'. Serve my daughter as well as your namesake serves her mother and as well as the Lioness's Lightning serves her." Jonathan handed Eliena her Faithful. She put it back in its sheath. "Go get armored up, I'll need you soon."

Eliena nodded, kissed him, and said, "I love you, father," before running off to the armory.

_**Author's Note- **yeah, so I lied about the update. SO SUE ME. Again, check out my **homepage** to see the revamped **poll**! (Answer the questions, please!) And check out the new story, "**Another Chance**." Now, REVIEW._


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31 

It had been a week since Eliena had returned to Tortall. She was beginning to worry about Daine and Numair.

"Stormwing!" a lookout cried from one of the towers of Legann's fortress.

"Eliena?" Jonathan looked at the girl, outfitted in the best chain mail, wearing the tunic of the Riders, with her sword at her waist, quiver on her back, and bow in her hand. The only sign of her royalty was the tiny crown painted on her helmet. "You want to take this one?"

"Sure." Eliena fitted an arrow to the bow and readied it.

"Oh, Eliena," the Stormwing tsk-ed. "No need for _that_." Eliena grinned.

"Don't shoot!" she called. "This one's a friend!"

"A _friend_?" Jonathan asked.

"Rikash," Eliena replied. The Stormwing landed in front of her.

"I suppose this would be your father," he drawled, and gave a Stormwing bow: he lifted one wing and ducked his head. "I'm honored, Your Majesty. My name is Rikash Moonsword, one of Queen Barzha's." Jonathan inclined his head.

"Please to meet you," the king replied. "Any friend of my daughter's is a friend of mine."

Eliena looked at the Stormwing. "News of Daine and Numair?"

"We dropped them at the Dragonlands," Rikash replied. "And they should be on their way back now."

"_Dragonlands_?" Jonathan asked. "Eli, what is he talking about?"

"Nothing, father," Eliena replied. "Stop worrying."

"El, Numair is the Realm's greatest mage. I hear he's somewhere called the _Dragonlands_ and—Great Merciful Mother!" His blue eyes were wide. Rikash and Eliena looked to see two large dragons flying over Port Legann. The soldiers on the tower were frozen.

Daine waved furiously from the back of a fifty-six foot long gray and gold dragon. Numair rode an eighty-foot long dragon; with scales so blue they were almost black and flecked with violet and gold. There was a golden crest almost like a crown sloping from his forehead to his shoulder.

"Great Mithros, Daine!" Eliena exclaimed. "You _do_ know how to make an entrance! Stand down!" she ordered the soldiers. Daine laughed as the dragons landed.

"Eliena, this is Wingstar-" she patted her dragon, "-and Diamondflame. They've decided to help us out," Daine explained. "Wingstar, Diamondflame, this is Princess Eliena of Conté and her father, King Jonathan IV.

Jonathan bowed. "I'm honored," he said.

--_From what the girl has told us, you seem like a well-enough king,_-- Wingstar remarked.

"Was that…?" Eliena looked at Daine.

"In your mind? Yes," Daine replied. "Dragons speak mind-to-mind."

"_Fascinating_," Jonathan breathed. Eliena smiled-her father loved learning new things, almost as much as her grandfather Myles.

"Are we going to fight or sit around and talk all day?" Barzha inquired. "I have a score to settle with the _Emperor Mage_."

"Patience," Numair told the Stormwing, who grunted. The mage turned to Jonathan. "We stopped in Corus. Buri and Duke Gareth told us Alanna is on her way with a Yamani fleet." He glanced at Daine, obviously keeping her silent. Eliena knew she could pry it from the girl later.

Jonathan nodded. "We have a job for you, Numair—Inar Hadensra," the king said.

"I know," Numair replied grimly. Eliena knew of the Scanran mage aiding the enemy. He made her shudder with his ruby eye.

"You should get a start on that," Jonathan said in a voice suggested that he meant _now_. Numair nodded.

Eliena embraced him. "Don't do anything stupid, Numair. We'll need you around here." Numair smiled and tweaked her nose. He turned to Daine, whose eyes watered as she hugged him with all hr might. Eliena didn't hear what they said, but she knew she had missed something between them. Numair went off, and Daine smiled at Eliena. The girl opened her mouth, but Eliena stopped whatever Daine was going to say. "It all seems _quite_ interesting, and I'll have to hear all about it later. For now, we have some serious Ozorne behind to kick." The Stormwings cheered and flew off to find the former Emperor Mage.

"Can you handle it?" Jonathan asked Eliena seriously, meaning commanding the army while he used the Dominion Jewel.

Eliena looked amused. "Father, I think that this is as good a time as any to prove that I am worthy of being called 'the Tigress.'" Jonathan smiled. "But I want to be fighting, not sitting here and commanding."

Jon put his hand on her shoulder. "Command from the field, Eliena. I know you can do it—Lioness blood runs in those veins." Eliena smiled and hugged the king.

--_You may ride me,_-- Diamondflame told her. –_-It would be a pleasure to fly such a girl as you._—Daine looked surprised at this. Eliena smiled and settled herself on Diamondflame's back.

"Is it OK with my mail?" she asked the dragon.

--_Fine_,-- he replied. Jonathan put his hand on his daughter's leg.

"What a time you live in, Eliena, to command from the back of a dragon," he said. "Stay safe. I would be in a lot of trouble with _many_ if you were to get seriously hurt or killed. Tortall needs their Tigress as their future queen." Eliena leaned down to kiss him. "Keep her well, Diamondflame."

--_I am a respected older dragon,_-- Diamondflame informed the king. –_I believe I know how to care for young ones._—

Eliena heard her father's laugh as Diamondflame and Wingstar took to the air.

_**Author's Note- POLL UP ON MY HOMEPAGE: CHECK IT!** In other news, THIS IS ON **PAGE 100**! That's right, we've hit 100 pages on this story! I'm giving out cookies to everyone who reviews this chapter, because this is a big landmark. So… REVIEW to get your cookie!_


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

"Eliena!" Daine called. "We need to stop the Copper Isles reinforcements! Otherwise they'll get your mother!"

"Let's go then… do you know where they are?" Eliena asked.

"We passed them on our way here," Daine replied. She told Wingstar and Diamondflame, "We need to find the Yamani ships carrying the queen."

--_No problem_—Diamondflame said. They easily found the ships.

"Don't shoot!" Eliena yelled as Diamondflame neared the boat. "Its Princess Eliena! Where's my mother?"

"Eliena?" Alanna shoved her way past the men on the ship. "Thank the gods you're safe!"

"I'd hug you, but I'm not getting off," Eliena replied. Alanna smiled.

"I see you've made some new acquaintances," the Lioness remarked. Eliena smiled.

"I've actually come to tell you that you're going to run into reinforcements from the Copper Isles. So be ready," Eliena warned. Alanna nodded and peered at the ember around Eliena's neck.

"Is that…?" Eliena nodded. "Mithros, Eli, did you talk to the Goddess?" Again Eliena nodded. Alanna smiled. "So I'm not the only one She has Her hand on!"

"El, we'd better get going," Daine advised. "You're commanding."

"You're commanding? You _are_ my daughter!" Alanna laughed. "Go… and stop worrying about me, Eliena. You and your father both think I'm some kind of soft lady!"

"Well, you never know!" Diamondflame flew up and took Eliena back to Legann.

She swooped over the troops, surveying. The group commanders were doing a fine job leading their men and women. Eliena noticed a black and ruby cloud, and turned to Daine, whose face was pale. Numair had found Inar Hadensra.

"He'll be fine," Eliena assured her friend.

"I hope so," Daine remarked. Eliena knew she would find out later. "Stormwing!" Eliena and Daine looked and saw a very familiar Stormwing flying toward them.

"Ozorne," they said together.

--_Is he the one responsible for this war?_—Wingstar asked.

"Yes," Eliena replied.

--_Then we should take care of him_—Diamondflame remarked sensibly.

"I agree," Daine said. When Ozorne saw the dragons moving toward him, he turned and started flying away. However, the dragons were much more powerful and caught him easily.

"Ah, Ozorne. We meet again," Eliena said, drawn sword sparkling in the sunlight. Down on the battlefield, all fighting had stopped at the sight of dragons and the shine of metal. The Tortallans all knew the girls were Daine and Eliena, and smiled with pride for their princess.

Ozorne spat curses at her, to which Eliena only said, "Now is that anyway to treat someone bigger, more powerful, more armed, and of a higher status than you?" Ozorne saw her sword. "That's right, Ozorne, _god forged_." With that, Diamondflame pulled forward just enough that Eliena could run the sword right through the middle of his head. Ozorne fell, and Eliena high-fived Daine.

A cheer came up from the Tortallans. "Tigress! Tigress! Tigress!" they chanted. Eliena flew low over them, beaming at their cheers.

"Win this for Tortall!" she yelled to them. They cheered again. "Charge!" Once again Diamondflame and Wingstar flew toward the enemy. Eliena and Daine fired arrows with deadly accuracy and speed at the enemy, piercing armor from above.

Suddenly, Eliena felt like she couldn't breathe. Daine gasped—somehow magic had gotten away from Numair and Inar, and the strength was too much for Eliena, who already had a strong Gift.

"Diamondflame, Eliena's going to faint!" Daine cried.

--_Leave it to me_—he said, sensing why. He took Eliena away from the battle and back to her father.

"Eliena!" the king cried. He took Eliena from the dragon's back. "What happened to her?

--_The magic escaped the mages. Its hurting her_—Diamondflame explained.

"Stupid!" Jonathan yelled. "He should've protected it…."

--_There is nothing you can do now, mortal king. Try to save your daughter's life_—Diamondflame said. He knew Eliena's future, and knew that she was to do great deeds as queen.

"How?" Jonathan asked. "I don't-" he stopped himself and took it a deep breath. He knew that, for a short period of time, he could carry Eliena's Gift along with his own.

--_Do not take her Gift, king of Tortall, or it will be you, not your daughter, nearing the Black God_—the dragon warned.

"Then what else am I to do?" Jonathan snapped. He stroked Eliena's hair. "Oh, my girl. My little girl. My little Eliena…" He pulled Eliena close to his chest and kissed her hair.

"Sire?" Jonathan looked up with red-rimmed blue eyes. Through his tears he saw Leo. "Sire!" Leo knelt on Eliena's other side. "She's not…is she?"

"I don't know," Jonathan replied softly. Leo brushed black hairs from Eliena's face—which was sickly pale. "She looks…" The king covered his face with his hands and sobbed.

"Dead," Leo finished quietly. "No." His eyes were filling looking at his friend.

Eliena's eyelids opened just enough to see the bottom of her violet eyes, which were foggy. "Father? Leo?" she asked.

"Eliena!" Jonathan put a large, cool hand to her forehead and turned white. She was burning up. "Eliena, can you hear me?"

"Yes," she replied weakly. She gasped. "Can't…breathe…" Her eyes shut again and her breathing became shallow and labored.

"_NO_!" Leo yelled. "Eli!" He shook her violently. "No! Eli, you can't! Come back, Eli!"

"She's fainted…for now," Jonathan told his squire.

"What do you mean, for now?" Leo asked, eyes full of worry.

"If Numair doesn't get Inar's magic under control soon, I don't think Eliena will last," Jonathan managed, taking a shaky breath. "If only her mother were here…"

"Let's get her armor off," Leo suggested. "It will help to cool her down."

They stripped Eli of her armor, but she was still very warm and pale. Tenderly, Jonathan kissed her forehead. "Pull out, Eliena. Pull out of it. I know you can." Jonathan looked at Leo. "Get Thom. Tell him to call Alanna _immediately_. Alanna-"

--_No. I will take the boy to the queen_—Diamondflame insisted.

"You OK with that?" Jonathan asked Leo.

"Anything for Eliena," he replied bravely. Leo swung onto Diamondflame to the queen.

_**Author's Note- **oh, drama, wonderful drama. **MSB**-Leo was here! **DO NOT FORGET THE POLL** on my homepage. BTW- who's seen **Superman Returns**? Or a picture of **Brandon Routh**, who plays Superman? Anyway. Look him up- he's basically a human Jonathan! REVIEW._


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Leo had no trouble getting Alanna to agree to get off the ship to tend to her daughter. The queen seemed more concerned about the welfare of her daughter than how her country was, which said a lot about Alanna's values. The Lioness was known for her dedication to Tortall, but obviously her dedication to her family outshined her country.

"Oh," Alanna froze when she saw Eliena. She was brought back to her days as a page, when she had saved Jonathan from the Sweating Sickness. Eliena looked as Jonathan had then—near death.

"What?" Jonathan asked.

"Jonathan," Alanna rasped, "she looks as you did when you were in the place between life and death." Jonathan gulped. He never wanted to return to that place.

"Can you save her?" Jonathan asked, holding his wife's violet eyes.

"I saved you, didn't I?" she replied, trying hard to keep the mood light. It wasn't working. She took a few big breaths. "I need to get somewhere protected. And it would be best if you stayed with me, Jonathan." The king looked at his squire.

"Leo, I'll need you to stay here for me," he said. Leo nodded. He knew what he had to do. "I'll keep the Jewel. Send someone if they need me." Leo nodded again. Jonathan picked up Eliena and carried her down the tower and into the large chambers Imrah had given Jonathan and Alanna in Legann. Jonathan gently put Eliena on the bed.

"Guard the room," Alanna said. Jonathan did, and a blue fire circled the room, shielding them. "I'm not even going to _try_ natural remedies this time." Jonathan smiled. Alanna had come a long way from the days when she feared and hated her magic. But he knew that no natural remedies could save Eliena from the magic that was killing her. "Keep me alive, Jonathan. Don't let me tap my life force."

"I won't," he assured her, setting a hand on her arm. "If you need more magic, tell me and I'll give you some of mine." Alanna smiled and he took his arm off her arm. "Gods bless, Alanna." Alanna nodded and placed her hands on Eliena. She took a deep, shaking breath. As the queen's eyes closed, violet fire bloomed around her palms. Jonathan knew that she was now inside Eliena.

Alanna looked around and saw red fire inside her daughter. She shoved away the fire blocking Eliena's lungs and arteries, so Eliena had a chance of living if Alanna managed to get rid of Death. Alanna also found Eliena's source of Gift—it blazed steadily violet intertwined with the white of the Bazhir magic and the blue of her father's. Alanna called out to Eliena and got no answer. She would have to enter Eliena's mind. Taking a deep breath, Alanna made her way into the princess's mind.

Eliena's mind was blank, which made it easier to find her. Eliena stood at the edge of an infinite expanse of darkness that Alanna pegged as the Black God's realm. The God himself reached out to Eliena.

"Eli!" Alanna called. Her daughter turned—causing Alanna to gasp. Eliena's black curls were topped with a grand golden crown and cascaded down her back. Her violet eyes shined with a new maturity and power. Eliena wore a simply cut blue-violet dress that sparkled with diamonds, amethysts, and sapphires. On top of that, Eliena stood nearly six and a half feet tall, and was surrounded by a white aura. Her blue ember glowed steadily.

"Mother?" Eliena asked. Her voice was musical—calling to mind singing whales, twittering birds, and the light sensation of dancing with the one you loved—so unlike Eliena's natural voice. Alanna knew in an instant this wasn't just grown-up Eliena. But she didn't know what Eliena it was.

"Its me, Eliena," Alanna replied. "Come home, sweetheart. Come back to us." Alanna extended a hand. Eliena looked between her mother and the Black God. The god nodded slowly, telling her to go home.

"It is not your time, young princess. You shall join us in good time," he told her in a deep, rumbling voice that made Alanna shudder with fear. Eliena smiled and walked to her mother.

"Mother." The princess embraced Alanna, whose eyes leaked tears.

"You're safe, Eliena, oh, you're safe," Alanna murmured, stroking her black hair. Eliena smiled. "Let's go home, shall we?"

"Yes," Eliena replied almost dreamily. "Let's go home." Eliena took Alanna's hand.

Alanna's eyes fluttered open. Jonathan's heart caught. "Is she…?" Moments later, Eliena's eyes opened. "Eli!" Jonathan hugged his daughter tightly. "I thought I'd lost you."

"No, father," Eliena said. "You didn't lose me. Even if I _had_ died, you wouldn't have lost me." Both Jonathan and Alanna looked in surprise at their oldest daughter. Her eyes were full of strength and maturity, one that they had never seen before. There was also a white glow around her. Eliena shook her head and smiled. She saw her father's wet blue eyes. "Oh, father!" Eliena's own violet eyes filled with tears as she threw her arms around her father. "I was so scared!"

"She was in the place between life and death," Alanna explained to her husband. "The Black God almost took her." Jonathan nodded, color finally returning to his face. He took off the guards on the room.

"It was terrifying," Eliena remarked, face buried in her father's tunic. She was soaking it, but Jonathan was glad that she was—it meant his little girl was alive.

"I know, little one," Jonathan murmured, stroking her hair. "I've been there too."

"That's right." Eliena looked up at her father. "You almost died too." She turned to her mother. "And you saved him." Eliena hugged her mother. "And you saved _me_. You're so brave, mother." Alanna smiled. "I wish I were more like you."

"You're more like me than you think, Eli," Alanna told her. "Trust me."

"You're alive, Eliena. You're alive!" Leo exclaimed, coming in. He threw his arms around Eliena, reducing their ages to ten again. "I was so scared… I thought you were dead…"

"Mother saved me, Leo," Eliena told him. "I was almost taken by the Black God. She brought me home."

"All I care about is that you're _here_. And breathing," Leo said. Eliena grinned.

"How are things?" Alanna asked Leo.

"Fine," he replied. "The enemy's run away. Daine went after Numair. The cloud disappeared a while back, but we don't know the outcome yet."

"When he comes back, I'm going to have a long talk with him," Jonathan growled. "He almost killed Eliena!"

"It wasn't Numair, father. It was Inar," Eliena reminded him. Jonathan glared at her, but then laughed hollowly.

"I can't be upset at you, Eliena. Not after such a scare," he said. Eliena grinned.

"Maybe I should almost die more often," she remarked.

"Don't," Alanna said. "Because I don't think I'd bring you back again."

They all laughed, but there was worry behind it all. Tortall had almost lost their princess—their future queen.

"I killed Ozorne," Eliena admitted. "I ran my sword straight through his head."

"Just like a little Tigress," Leo teased. Eliena smiled.

"Exactly. And the men—they chanted that. 'Tigress', I mean. I felt like… well, I felt like a hero." Eliena looked at her mother. "Like the Lioness."

"Tigress," her father corrected. "Tortall can only have one Lioness, but we can have a Tigress."

"Yes," Eliena said. "I felt like a Tigress. And then it was like I couldn't breathe. The magic was… choking me."

"It blocked your lungs, and your arteries," Alanna told her daughter. "Even if I had saved you from the Black God, you wouldn't have lived with that blockage." Eliena put her hand to her neck. She knew that lungs allowed her to breathe, and her arteries carried her blood to her body. Without those, she would die almost instantly.

"But she unclogged them," Leo put in. "And now you're here, telling us about it."

Eliena smiled. "I only hope that Numair will be able to answer to exactly _why_ he allowed Inar's magic to leak out. As long as the answer isn't that he's dead."

_**Author's Note- **REVIEW. Now._


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

Daine found Numair and brought him back on Wingstar. Eliena, despite the protests of her father, her mother, and the chief palace healer, Duke Baird of Queenscove, waited for Daine and Numair on Legann's tower. She was in a lightweight dress with a warm cloak to guard her against the chilly breeze blowing in off the water. It amazed Eliena how being so close to death affected her body's thermometer. Usually, this would have been perfect weather, but now she was freezing. Her father assured her it was only temporary, explaining that she had been burning up with fever, and it was simply her body getting back on track.

"Daine!" Eliena jumped and waved to her friend. Wingstar landed.

--_Shouldn't you be resting?_—the dragon asked. Eliena nodded.

"Probably, but there was no way I was missing seeing Daine," Eliena replied. Wingstar shook her head, muttering about how she didn't understand why human kits didn't obey their elders. "How is he?"

"_I_ am fine," Numair remarked from behind Daine. He got off and helped her down, holding her just a moment too long.

"OK, explain _right now_," Eliena commanded, pointing at Daine and Numair's intertwined fingers. Daine blushed. "_Now_, and I _mean_ it!"

"Something, ah, _happened_ on our way to the Dragonlands," Daine revealed, twisting her free hand in the bottom of her shirt.

"I can see _that_," Eliena said. She threw her hands in the air. "Why do I _always_ miss all the fun?" Numair chuckled.

"I'd hardly call Daine practically dying by falling down a crevice _fun_," he told her. "And I wouldn't define _fun_ as a battle, either."

"She was dying," Daine explained. "The magic was killing her."

Numair looked embarrassed. "That was partially my fault. I angered him and Inar stopped shielding his magic."

"No. He _obviously_ didn't have the strength to keep fighting you and hold the shields," Eliena corrected. "You just helped yourself in defeating him. Which I assume you did, as you're standing here now." Numair nodded.

"I did. And now I suppose I have some explaining to do to your parents," he remarked. Eliena turned and saw her parents, looking very ticked off, standing behind her.

"Go gentle on him, please," Eliena told the king and queen. "He's probably weak still."

"Oh, we'll see how _gentle_ we go on him when we get some answers," the Lioness remarked, eyes serious. "Come on, Numair." Numair, looking like a child who knew that he was about to get scolded for doing something, followed the king and queen.

"I'm _so_ glad you're OK, Eli," Daine said, hugging Eliena.

"So am I!" Eliena replied. "I _want_ to be queen!" Daine laughed.

"I'm _exhausted_," Daine commented. "Are you going to keep me up talking or can I go to bed?"

"Given the day's events and the amount of resistance I got to come up here, I think I had better get my butt in bed before mother, father, Duke Baird, and everyone else comes after me to do so," Eliena replied. Daine laughed.

"I'm glad to see it hasn't done anything to your personality, Eli. I don't know _what_ I'd do without you."

"Neither do I. So you should thank my mother for saving me."

"Believe me, Eli, I will."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"You're crazy," Neal told Eliena back in Corus.

"I thought you knew that already," Leo remarked. "_I've_ known it for _years_."

"Oh, shut up," Eliena said.

Neal, Eliena, Daine, and Leo were in Eliena's room—with the door partially opened. Eliena was on her back, lying over her covers on her bed. Daine sat in one of Eliena's armchairs, while Neal and Leo were on her window seat.

"So, Daine." Neal turned to the girl, who was blushing.

"Yes?" Daine asked.

"I hear you had quite the…adventure getting to the Dragonlands." Neal had a wicked smile dancing on his face.

"Leave her alone, Neal," Eliena said, throwing a pillow at the soon-to-be page. "Don't pry at her private business."

"_You_ pry in her business all the time," Neal retorted. Eliena looked at him.

"Yes, well, I'm a girl. And you aren't," she explained. "At least, I _hope_ you aren't a girl!" Leo laughed so hard that he had to clutch his stomach from pain. Neal glared at Eliena.

"You will pay for that, El. Mark my words," he threatened.

"I don't think you want to make threats to Eli, Neal," Daine said. "Remember, she's bested her mother in fencing before."

"Never mind," Neal gulped. Eliena laughed.

"Eli, you have no idea how good it is to have you alive," Leo commented. Eliena sat up and smiled.

"Oh, I think I know better than you think."

_**THE END…for now**_

_That's the end of "Alternate Princess." In a few minutes, I'll be putting up the **sequel**, "Eliena." I know the plotline for that already. Thanks for all the awesome support… and I hope for your CONTINUED support in the next Eliena story! _


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